The UK has successfully tested quantum navigation technology developed by Infleqtion, in collaboration with BAE Systems and QinetiQ, that cannot be jammed or spoofed by hostile actors. The technology, which includes the compact Tiqker optical atomic clock and a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system, could provide a more secure alternative to GPS. The UK government has supported the project with nearly £8 million in funding. Key individuals involved include Andrew Griffith, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, and Keshav Thirumalai, a physicist at ColdQuanta/Infleqtion.
Quantum Navigation Technology: A New Era of Resilience
In a significant achievement for the UK’s quantum technology sector, commercial flight trials of advanced quantum-based navigation systems have been successfully completed. These systems, which are impervious to jamming or spoofing by hostile actors, represent a significant step forward in the development of secure and reliable navigation technology.
While GPS jamming is currently relatively rare and does not directly impact an aircraft’s flight path, the new quantum-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems could, over time, offer a part of a larger solution to providing highly accurate and resilient navigation that complements current satellite systems. This could help ensure that the thousands of flights that take place around the world daily, proceed without disruption.
The Quantum Leap: Infleqtion’s Role in Quantum Navigation
The trials were conducted by Infleqtion, a quantum technology firm, in collaboration with aerospace companies BAE Systems and QinetiQ, at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. The tests are the first time that this sort of ground-breaking technology has been tested in the UK on an aircraft in flight, and the first such flights worldwide have been publicly acknowledged.
The project, led by Infleqtion and in collaboration with industry and academic partners, has received backing of nearly £8 million from the government. This funding, together with the £2.5 billion National Quantum Strategy and the National Quantum Technologies Programme, aims to cement the UK’s position in the quantum technology sector.
Quantum Technologies: The Future of Navigation
The team led by Infleqtion demonstrated two ground-breaking quantum technologies during the test flights: the compact Tiqker optical atomic clock and a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system, both aboard QinetiQ’s RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator, a modified aircraft.
The technology being tested on the flight will form part of a Quantum Inertial Navigation System (Q-INS), which has the potential to revolutionise PNT, with the system offering exceptional accuracy and resilience, independent of traditional satellite navigation using GPS.
The Quantum Advantage: Precision and Resilience
PNT helps us know our location, navigate, and keep track of time. The cornerstone of modern PNT technology is precision clocks. These ultra-accurate timekeepers are crucial for various applications, and portable production of ultracold atoms is another key piece of the puzzle. Ultracold atoms – atoms that have been cooled to temperatures near absolute zero (the coldest possible temperature) – are ideal for building quantum accelerometers and gyroscopes, which form the heart of a Q-INS.
The test is part of a project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) specifically focusing on creating quantum sensors to address the UK’s heavy reliance on GNSS/GPS for location, navigation, and timing data. This dependence creates a vulnerability, as a single point of failure (like jamming or spoofing GPS signals) could disrupt critical economic, defence, and strategic activities.
The Quantum Consortium: Collaborative Innovation
The consortium working alongside Infleqtion includes Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Alter Technology UK, Caledonian Photonics, Redwave Labs, PA Consulting, BAE Systems, and QinetiQ. The successful completion of these flight trials marks a significant milestone towards Mission 4 of the UK’s National Quantum Strategy. By 2030, this mission aims to deploy quantum navigation systems on aircraft, providing next-generation accuracy and resilience independent of satellite signals.
The successful testing of an optical atomic clock, Infleqtion’s Tiqker, and core elements of a quantum inertial sensor aboard QinetiQ’s RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator represents a breakthrough in airborne quantum technology.
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