Abstract Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) superiority represents a prerequisite for resilient defence strategies, capable of effective and adequate response to our global security environment. Besides, quantum communications are being considered one of the most promising technologies with applications in security related domains. To this extent, the development of quantum communication infrastructures will significantly impact the architecture of the modern electromagnetic operational environment. Quantum technologies pave the way towards revolutionary technologies by exploiting physical phenomena from different angles and enabling extremely sensitive measurements of multiple parameters including electromagnetic fields. This paper aims to present a short description of quantum technologies with applications for electromagnetic spectrum monitoring and discusses their impact on future electromagnetic warfare operations.
Abstract Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) superiority represents a prerequisite for resilient defence strategies, capable of effective and adequate response to our global security environment. Besides, quantum communications are being considered one of the most promising technologies with applications in security related domains. To this extent, the development of quantum communication infrastructures will significantly impact the architecture of the modern electromagnetic operational environment. Quantum technologies pave the way towards revolutionary technologies by exploiting physical phenomena from different angles and enabling extremely sensitive measurements of multiple parameters including electromagnetic fields. This paper aims to present a short description of quantum technologies with applications for electromagnetic spectrum monitoring and discusses their impact on future electromagnetic warfare operations.
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.
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.
Abstract Quantum technology is an emergent and potentially disruptive discipline, with the ability to affect many human activities. Quantum technologies are dual-use technologies, and as such are of interest to the defence and security industry and military and governmental actors. This report reviews and maps the possible quantum technology military applications, serving as an entry point for international peace and security assessment, ethics research, military and governmental policy, strategy and decision making. Quantum technologies for military applications introduce new capabilities, improving effectiveness and increasing precision, thus leading 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, also estimating the expected time scale of delivery or the utilisation impact. Particular military applications of quantum technology are described for various warfare domains (e.g. land, air, space, electronic, cyber and underwater warfare and ISTAR—intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance), and related issues and challenges are articulated.
Quantum optics, the study of light and its interactions with matter at the quantum level, has revolutionized modern telecommunications. By leveraging quantum phenomena such as entanglement, superposition, and photon manipulation, quantum optics enables ultra-secure communication, high-speed data transfer, and novel computing paradigms. The integration of quantum technologies into emerging communication infrastructures, particularly 6G networks, is becoming increasingly critical for overcoming the inherent limitations of classical communication and computation. In summary, quantum optics and quantum information have profoundly influenced modern physics and technology, where the field continues to bridge fundamental research and practical applications, promising further innovations in the future. The exponential growth of data traffic necessitates advancements in secure and high-speed communication technologies. Classical telecommunications rely on electromagnetic waves, but quantum optics introduces fundamentally new capabilities by exploiting quantum states of light. This paper explores the fundamental principles of quantum optics, its applications in quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum teleportation, and quantum repeaters, and its impact on next-generation telecommunications. We also discussed challenges and future prospects of the quantum optics in telecommunications.
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.
The global security architecture and the Indian defence system have been revolutionised due to the advancement of technology, and because of this, the architecture is poised at the juncture of the second Quantum revolution, which is not only a drastic progress but also signifies how far we have come since the time of independence. While discussing the second Quantum revolution we cannot negate the fact that the first quantum revolution was quite significant in nature as it ruled throughout the 20th century and also managed to harness the statistical properties and elements of the quantum mechanics to develop foundational technologies such as the transistor, the laser, and the atomic clock, the contemporary era is defined by the transition to Quantum Revolution 2.0. This New Era is considered as one of the most progressive eras as it is distinguished by the capacity to control individual quantum systems, such as atoms, ions, photons, and electrons, in order to take use of the "strange" principles of quantum physics, such as tunneling, entanglement, and superposition, at the boundaries of known physical reality. This paper shall focus upon the analytical research of quantum technology and how it has shaped the defence sector globally. This paper also highlights the multiple utility of this technology and its incorporation in India. In the end it proposes a study of its good and bad sides by highlighting the recent setbacks posed by them. Keywords: Technology; Security; defence; quantum; atomic