DIU Plans Up to $200M Investment in Quantum Technology This Year – MeriTalk

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The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) plans to invest up to $200 million over the next year to accelerate the deployment of quantum sensing and timing technologies for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across the U.S. military.

The initiative, known as Farseer, aims to transition mature commercial quantum technologies into operational use and support military missions operating in contested electromagnetic environments. DIU said the initiative will focus on fielding quantum-enabled capabilities that can provide enhanced situational awareness across aerial, surface, and subsurface domains.

According to the solicitation, DIU seeks commercial technologies capable of demonstrating operationally relevant quantum sensing and timing capabilities. The multistage effort will include intermediate testing and culminate in full-scale operational demonstrations aligned with military mission requirements.

The initiative seeks to overcome limitations associated with conventional sensors, which often require tradeoffs among sensitivity, bandwidth, and size, weight, and power.

It will focus on developing deployable quantum electric field sensors, magnetometers, gravimeters, and tactical clocks capable of delivering precise timing and detecting weak signals over long distances.

“The United States Department of War must accelerate deployment and commercialization of quantum sensing to maintain superiority of knowledge of the battle space, speed of decision and operational dominance,” Kyle Norman, who leads DIU’s quantum sensing team, said in a statement.

Under the Trump administration, the Defense Department (DOD) was rebranded as the War Department.

The announcement follows two executive orders on quantum technologies. The executive orders, signed by President Donald Trump on June 22, aim to accelerate U.S. quantum technology development and speed the federal government’s transition to post-quantum cryptography.

In parallel with those executive…

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