The Australian Army is exploring quantum computing to improve logistics and deployment efficiency. They partnered with Q-CTRL, a quantum infrastructure software company, to test and validate a quantum computing solution. The solution, using Q-CTRL’s Fire Opal software, improved the performance of quantum computers, increasing the likelihood of finding an optimal solution by 12 times. The software was used to optimize the departure schedules and routes of 5,000 convoys during a joint training exercise with the U.S. military. The results demonstrated that quantum computing could provide a strategic advantage in managing complex logistics challenges.
Quantum Computing: A Potential Solution to Army Logistics Challenges
The Australian Army is exploring the potential of quantum computing to address complex logistics challenges. These challenges, such as vehicle routing and deployment scheduling, are optimization problems that require significant computational resources. The Army seeks to improve existing solutions, which often rely on heuristic algorithms that make numerous assumptions and do not always provide optimal results.
Quantum Computing and Optimization Problems
Optimization problems involve finding the best schedule or path among many slightly different choices in a way that maximizes some quantity, like speed or cost savings. For instance, determining how and when to deploy 120 convoys across just a few route options can take a month of computing time. The complexity of these problems increases in real-world scenarios where decisions must be made in real-time, and the objectives and risks are constantly changing.
Quantum Computing as a Potential Solution
The Australian Army is investing in quantum computing as a potential solution to these optimization problems. They presented a real-world problem to Q-CTRL: optimizing the departure schedules and routes of 5,000 convoys as part of a large-scale training activity. The Army’s goal was not just to get their convoys to the destination, but to minimize the total deployment duration while maintaining a precise ordering of convoy arrivals. This is a complex problem that is indicative of a wide range of logistics challenges that the Army faces on a daily basis.
Q-CTRL’s Quantum Infrastructure Software
Q-CTRL’s quantum infrastructure software was used to test prototype quantum optimization solutions. The software made it possible to solve complex, high-value problems on today’s noisy, medium-scale devices. Q-CTRL’s optimization solution addressed all vehicles by combining the strength of both classical and quantum computers. This approach allowed them to do more with the small-scale hardware available today.
Quantum Computing vs Classical Solutions
Q-CTRL delivered a solution to optimize the entire 5,000-vehicle convoy and convincingly demonstrated the promise of quantum computing to provide advantages over existing classical methods. The solution not only ran successfully on real quantum hardware but also delivered superior results to a benchmark classical heuristic solver. The new solution implemented through Q-CTRL’s software reduced the total deployment duration by more than two hours compared to the benchmark solver.
Future of Quantum Computing in Army Logistics
Quantum computers hold significant promise for optimizing logistics, reducing risk, and enhancing combat capabilities. The Australian Army’s investment in developing solutions, with the support of Q-CTRL’s infrastructure software, positions them to harness the power of quantum computing for logistics as soon as possible. As quantum capabilities progress, early adoption of quantum computing can deliver a strategic edge now and in the future.