The Air Force Research Laboratory‘s Information Directorate has worked with industry and academic organizations to establish an industrial support system to help the U.S. enhance its quantum computing capabilities.
AFRL has collaborated with multiple quantum technology companies, including IBM, IonQ, Rigetti and PsiQuantum, to integrate commercial assets into its computing and innovation facilities and drive quantum information technologies research and development efforts, the Air Force Materiel Command said Thursday.
“By gaining hands-on access to commercial technologies, we believe we are enabling greater progress toward quantum technology breakthroughs,” said Kathy-Anne Soderberg, senior scientist for quantum science and technology at AFRL.
The private sector is providing AFRL with infrastructure that can help progress quantum networks research as part of a push to achieve distributed quantum computing.
“These collaborations are supporting Air Force-relevant research focused on delivering a future network to connect diverse quantum technologies across the battlefield, giving the warfighter tremendous advantages,” said Don Telesca, chief of the quantum information sciences and technology branch at AFRL’s Information Directorate.