Communication is vital in everyday life and critical for current and future military operations. However, conventional communication as we know it also has its limitations. Quantum communication allows some of these challenges to be overcome and, thereby, new application areas open up, also in the military domain. In this work quantum communication for military purposes is considered. Different applications are presented and the state-of-the-art of the technology is given. Also, quantum communication use cases specific for military applications are described.
Communication is vital in everyday life and critical for current and future military operations. However, conventional communication as we know it also has its limitations. Quantum communication allows some of these challenges to be overcome and, thereby, new application areas open up, also in the military domain. In this work quantum communication for military purposes is considered. Different applications are presented and the state-of-the-art of the technology is given. Also, quantum communication use cases specific for military applications are described.
Wired and fibre-based communication are the backbone of the current global communication network, thanks to their large bandwidth, reliability and stability, capability to serve many users and low cost over their lifetime. However, they show several important limitations when applied in the defence and military domain, mostly due to the possibility of physical attacks and disruption, the requirement of a pre-installed infrastructure and limited flexibility. Free-space and wireless communication work perfectly as a complementary technology and become enabler of many fundamental applications in the military domain. Free-space quantum communication is a growing field that promises to empower and enable new cryptographic applications and distributed sensing and computing use cases. In this paper, we review the most prominent applications of free-space quantum communication in the military domain, with a focus on Quantum Key Distribution. Then we critically analyse important results in the field in the last 15 years, focusing first on ground-to-ground implementations and then on mobile platforms, concluding with satellite-based quantum communication.
Quantum computers have the potential to outshine classical alternatives in solving specific problems, under the assumption of mature enough hardware. A specific subset of these problems relate to military applications. In this paper we consider the state-of-the-art of quantum technologies and different applications of this technology. Additionally, four use-cases of quantum computing specific for military applications are presented. These use-cases are directly in line with the 2021 AI strategic agenda of the Netherlands Ministry of Defense.
While the fundamental nature of war remains constant, military strategies continue to evolve in response to capabilities enabled by new technologies. Therefore, military leaders must be aware of emerging and disruptive technologies to maintain forces that are relevant. One such technology is quantum technology, which has received a great deal of attention in the past few years due to its potential application in a wide range of areas. Particularly, quantum technology promises breakthroughs in various domains of warfare by significantly enhancing current military technology. This article explores three major defense applications of quantum technology—quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication—and their impact on future warfare based on realistic assessment.
The article focuses on quantum technologies and the prospects for their application in the defense and security sectors. Based on an analysis of the current state of development of quantum technologies and their applications in defense and security, three main areas are identified: quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensors. For each of these, a specific set of applications, advantages, and limitations is identified. It is noted that quantum computing in defense and security finds application primarily in four subfields: post-quantum cryptography, quantum cryptography, cyber threat detection, and cryptanalysis; quantum communication ensures secure information transmission by utilizing the physical properties of quantum states, particularly the principle of the impossibility of cloning a quantum state, with its primary practical application being Quantum key distribution and its promising application being the quantum internet; quantum sensors are the category of quantum technologies closest to operational deployment, as they utilize the hypersensitivity of quantum states to external disturbances to achieve measurement accuracy unattainable by classical devices. A summary of the main areas of application for quantum technologies in defense and security indicates that quantum sensors have the nearest practical implementation horizon (5–7 years), while quantum computing will have the greatest strategic impact on cryptographic infrastructure due to the threat it poses to existing asymmetric encryption algorithms—which is precisely why the transition to post-quantum standards is becoming urgent. Therefore, given the significant interest in and funding for quantum technologies from both the civilian industry and governments, it is expected that these technologies will continue to develop and new quantum applications will become available over the next five to ten years, and new advances in the development of quantum technologies may bring new opportunities for the military, but for the military to actually reap the benefits of new quantum technologies, they need to actively engage in this field and guide the development and implementation of military applications of quantum technologies.
Quantum Communication becomes a new field of communication technologies with highly diverse applications, and much complexity, and is a promising area deserving further exploration. This paper aims to provide a complete expository of quantum communication, describing the principles that govern it, which is quite different from classical communication. However, the paper also reflects on how the industrialization of quantum communication was achieved and examples of funded projects that were developed. Quantum communication is then considered in the context of 6G networks, IoT, government, and defense to show the typical use of quantum communication in future information processing and secure communication domains. The paper aims to integrate the most recent developments, difficulties, and future outlook of the subject, hence serving as a thorough manual for researchers and practitioners operating in a complicated landscape of quantum communication technologies.
Quantum technology is an emergent area with the potential to be disruptive and ability to affect many human activities. Quantum technologies are dual-use technologies, and as such, they are the subject of interest for the defence and security industry and military and governmental actors. This report aims to review and map the possible quantum technology military applications to serve as the entry point for international peace and international security assessment, ethics research or military and governmental policy, strategy and decision making. Quantum technologies for military applications, introducing new capabilities, increasing effectiveness and improving precision lead to 'quantum warfare', wherein new military strategies, doctrines, policies and ethics should be established. This report provides a basic overview of quantum technologies under development where the expected time scale of delivery or utilisation impact are estimated. The particular applications of quantum technology for the military are described for various warfare domains (e.g., cyber, space, electronic, underwater warfare, or intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance), and related issues and challenges are articulated.