Quantum technologies

The outcome should contribute to:

• reduce dependencies on non-European suppliers by boosting the EDTIB and promoting the development of a European solution;
• an enhanced operational superiority in terms of PNT and sensing, and secure communications in the long term at optimal cost;
• an enhanced EU technological autonomy for quantum technologies for defence.

Quantum technologies count amongst the main emerging and disruptive technologies for defence capabilities. Within these quantum technologies, Quantum Sensing (QS) is one of the most mature domains and has the potential to notably impact defence operations. Nevertheless, significant technical challenges remain before operational systems can be developed. Further research is therefore needed in a range of QS domains such as quantum sensors for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), optronics and RF sensing. Besides, with the possible emergence of quantum computers, current technologies for secure communications face a risk of becoming compromised and need to be upgraded. There is therefore a need for research on technologies future-proof communication technologies such as quantum communication or quantum-resistant cryptography.

The proposals must address at least one of the following technological domains:

1. Quantum sensing technologies for PNT

The proposals should address quantum sensing technologies with the potential to improve PNT capabilities, such as high performances atomic clocks, quantum inertial sensors and gravimeters, and solid-state quantum vector magnetometers. Specific enabling technologies for improving size, weight and power (SWaP), to increase efficiency and/or ruggedness while lowering the overall footprint, should be addressed.

1. Quantum technologies for optronics and RF sensing

The proposals should address quantum technologies with a potential to improve imaging and optronic sensors by exploiting quantum properties such as superposition, tunnelling and entanglement. In particular, technologies exploiting single photon detection and its processing for seeing behind obstacles in non-line-of-sight configuration and/or in degraded visual environment, such as smoke and dust fog, should be addressed.

The proposals should also address quantum technologies with a potential to improve RF sensing and electronic warfare, such as ensembles of atoms in Rydberg state or superconducting quantum devices exploiting interference effects as well as colour centres in crystals or other quantum approaches.

1. Quantum technologies and/or quantum-resistant cryptography for secure communications

The proposals should address technologies with a potential to improve secure communications (including for multi-domain operations), such as quantum information networks, quantum cryptography and quantum random number generators, and/or quantum-resistant cryptography (post-quantum cryptography, PQC).

• • For quantum information networks, techniques for using different transmission media such as fibre optics, free-space or water, including interface between different networks, may be addressed. Technologies to enable long-distance communication, such as quantum memories and entanglement swapping capabilities for quantum repeaters or high-precision pointing and optics for free-space quantum communications, should be covered.
  • For quantum cryptography, a number of challenges remain to be addressed, such as Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) as cryptographic solutions, standardisation of quantum cryptographic protocols and interfaces, interoperability with other technologies (e.g., PQC), security certification of physical hardware border-node between quantum network domains, better SWaP and cost (SWaP-C) properties of the different quantum components (photodetectors, lasers, attenuators, modulators, etc.), connectivity and interfaces with classical devices needed for encryption/decryption of the sensitive data and for the management of the keys once generated such as Key Management Systems (KMS) and encryptors and development of photonic materials platforms for large scale integration.
  • For quantum random number generators, challenges to be addressed include the need to increase the bit rate, the improvement of the form factor, miniaturise the devices, and extend the operational range.
  • For quantum-resistant cryptography, several algorithms and approaches such as lattice-based, multivariate, hash-based and code-based cryptography may be addressed, as well as crypto-agility mechanisms. Challenges to be addressed include standardisation and integration or hybridisation between quantum and non-quantum algorithms. The combination with quantum cryptography and quantum networks may be covered.

The proposals must identify defence use cases and justify the relevance of the technologies proposed to be addressed with respect to these use cases, taking into account the wider landscape of potential solutions for these use cases and the deployment costs.

Types of activities

The following table lists the types of activities which are eligible for this topic, and whether they are mandatory or optional (see Article 10(3) EDF Regulation):

Accordingly, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of mandatory activities:

• Generating knowledge:
  • Research on quantum technologies for PNT, optronics and RF sensing, and/or secure communications, as well as their possible combination or interoperability aspects.
• Studies:
  • Development and experimental performance evaluation of demonstrators addressing the identified defence use cases.
  • Analysis of technology maturation and industrialisation needs for defence applications, and drafting of future development roadmaps including supply chain, standardisation, certification, etc.

Moreover, the proposals may cover the following tasks as part of the optional activities:

• Integrating knowledge:
  • Standardisation activities.

The proposals should substantiate synergies and complementarities with foreseen, ongoing or completed activities in the field of quantum technologies, notably those that may be performed in the context of the Quantum Flagship and of space programmes, such as IRIS².

Functional requirements

The proposed technologies should meet the following functional requirements where applicable for the domains addressed:

• enhanced GNSS-free navigation and high-precision timing;
• enhanced accuracy, sensitivity and detection ranges for defence applications with respect to conventional sensors technologies;
• enhanced sensor time response and signal bandwidth with respect to conventional sensors technologies and to constrains imposed by defence scenarios;
• future-proof security of communication networks, including for long-range communications;
• optimised SWaP-C and ruggedisation with respect to military environments and scenarios.