Quantum information technology(QIT) that has developed rapidly in recent years can potentially realize unconditional secure key distribution,highly sensitive and accurate quantum sensor,and high efficiency parallel computing,which cannot be reached using classical ways.The QIT will improve our national information technology and strength the national defense dramatically.It is very important to focus on this field.
Quantum information technology(QIT) that has developed rapidly in recent years can potentially realize unconditional secure key distribution,highly sensitive and accurate quantum sensor,and high efficiency parallel computing,which cannot be reached using classical ways.The QIT will improve our national information technology and strength the national defense dramatically.It is very important to focus on this field.
In recent years, Quantum information technology (QIT) has accelerated its development in academic research with continuously highlights and achievements that have attracted the attention of the entire society. Network security is currently the main application field of QIT and two types of quantum security products have been released: Quantum Key Distribution systems and Quantum Random Number Generators. This article introduces the two quantum security products and reveals that the application of QIT in network security is currently in its initial stage, consisting of a total of six stages. Both product and market sides need continuous innovation and development, and it may take time for QIT to truly manifest significant commercial value. It also offers prospects for the technological evolution of the two quantum products in the further process of industrialization, mainly involving the multiplexing of QKD with classical optical communication and the chip based QRNG. The aim of this study is to consolidate consensus and contribute to the industrial application of QIT in network security.
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 information technology is an emerging interdisciplinary field of quantum mechanics and information science, whose birth will promote a new era of human intelligence from classical technology to quantum technology. This paper elaborates on the research status and future of the field of quantum information technology. Moreover, this paper shows the vision of quantum technology, i.e., the construction of various types of quantum networks, including quantum cloud computing networks, distributed quantum computing, quantum sensor networks, and quantum key distribution networks. Quantum computers have transformed research from the laboratory to the development of practical devices led by these enterprises. Currently, research and development of quantum computers have shifted to the stage of noisy intermediate-scale quantum computers (NISQ). In the era of quantum technology, there is no absolutely secure secrecy system or omnipotent way of deciphering Information and information security has entered a new stage of “quantum offense and defense."
In the early decades of the 20th century, the inception of quantum mechanics catalyzed the first quantum revolution, resulting in groundbreaking technological advances, such as nuclear energy, semiconductors, lasers, nuclear magnetic resonance, superconductivity, and global satellite positioning systems. These innovations have promoted significant progress in material civilization, fundamentally changed the way of life and societal landscape of humanity. Since the 1990s, quantum control technology has made significant strides forward, ushering in a rapid evolution of quantum technologies, notably exemplified by quantum information science. This encompasses domains such as quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum precision measurement, offering paradigm-shifting solutions for enhancing information transmission security, accelerating computational speed, and elevating measurement precision. These advances hold the potential to provide crucial underpinning for national security and the high-quality development of the national economy. The swift progression of quantum information technology heralds the advent of the second quantum revolution. Following nearly three decades of concerted efforts, China’s quantum information technology field as a whole has achieved a leap. Specifically, China presently assumes a prominent international role in both the research and practical application of quantum communication, leading the global domain in quantum computing, and achieving international preeminence or advanced standing across various facets of quantum precision measurement. Presently, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the developmental priorities in the realm of quantum information in China for the forthcoming 5 to 10 years, in alignment with national strategic priorities and the evolving landscape of international competition. This will enable the proactive establishment of next-generation information technology systems that are secure, efficient, autonomous, and controllable.
The various branches of the U.S. military have systematically laid out related projects in quantum technology, accelerating the application of quantum technology in the field of defense. This article analyzes the development trend of quantum technology from four perspectives: defense, funding, industry, and research output. Taking the U.S. military as the main object, based on the Department of Defense’s 2024 fiscal year defense technology budget, it analyzes the project layout of U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the field of quantum technology; it analyzes the application prospects of quantum technology in defense, and elaborates on the high-precision detection capabilities of quantum sensing technology, the high-speed information processing capabilities of quantum computing, and the secure confidential communication capabilities of quantum communication.
Quantum physics has a growing influence on sensor technology; particularly, in the areas of quantum computer science, quantum communications, and quantum sensing based on recent insights from atomic, molecular and optical physics. These quantum contributions have the potential to impact information fusion techniques. Quantum information technology (QIT) methods of interest suggest benefits for information fusion, so a panel was organized to articulate methods of importance for the community. The panel discussion presented many ideas from which the leading impact for information fusion is directly related to the sub-Rayleigh sensing that reduces uncertainty for object assessment through enhanced resolution. The second areas of importance is in the cyber security of data that supports data, sensor, and information fusion. Some elements of QIT that require further analysis is in quantum computing for which only a limited set of information fusion techniques can harness the methods associated with quantum computer architectures. The panel reviewed various aspects of QIT for information fusion which provides a foundation to identify future alignment between quantum and information fusion techniques.