DARPA Selects Q-CTRL to Develop Next-Generation Quantum Sensors for Navigation on Advanced Defense Platforms

Q-CTRL has announced its selection for two awards under DARPA’s Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program. With this selection, DARPA has awarded Q-CTRL contracts valued at A$38M (US$24.4M) to augment Q-CTRL’s field-validated quantum sensing technologies for demanding real-world use cases in high-performance military vehicles.

Navigational technology that is resilient to denial, jamming, spoofing, and other denials in the environment has become increasingly critical to defense applications from battlefield operations to intelligence and surveillance. With conflict zones expanding, the risks to crewed and uncrewed defense missions are growing daily. Quantum sensing offers a complementary solution to GPS that is resilient against external interference while filling coverage gaps.

Q-CTRL will develop next-generation quantum sensors for navigation based on their success in field trials of airborne, maritime, and ground-based quantum navigation augmented by their proprietary AI-powered software ruggedization. This technology enables sensors to operate reliably on moving defense platforms subject to challenging real-world conditions, without the need for traditional shielding or isolation. Q-CTRL will be joined by Lockheed Martin as a subcontractor on one aspect of the RoQS program, leveraging its expertise in GPS and quantum technology.

RoQS was established by DARPA to accelerate the development, testing, and validation of quantum sensors for real-world defense applications, which include maintaining stability against environmental interference, mechanical vibrations, and heavy g-forces.

Read the full announcement here.