Developing Quantum Computing for Defence Research
In a realist paradigm on international relations, military and arms development for nations has become essential for security and strategic purposes. The post-Cold-War period has seen rapid development in military sector and incorporation of complex technological enhancements has initiated a paroxysm among many nation- states to enhance their funding and industrial progression. In December 2020, India modulated its military industry and communications, and successfully enabled Quantum Information Processing based communication systems. DRDO has strong theoretical and empirical reasoning to back the claim about how India is ushering into advanced military developments. This poses a certain interest and curiosity for the purpose of this paper to understand the myriad of quantum research and development into strategic implication of the states and understand the future implication of Quantum Development currently being pursued by many nations.
“Quantum Technology will be as transformational in the 21st century as harnessing electricity was in the 19th Century.” -Michael J. Biercuk, Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum technologies, The University of Sydney, Australia.
Data protection and securing the communication lines are the calipers of national security and its strength in the 21st Century. Defence Research and Development Organisations (DRDO) important development in Quantum technology is a significant breakthrough for its defence and national security. DRDO’s milestone in Quantum Key Distribution technology, establishing secure communication lines between Defense Research and Development Laboratory(DRDL), and Research Centre Imarat(RCI) in Hyderabad has revolutionized Indian defense and research development[1]. The idea of success not only gives progress in defence and security technology but also puts itself in par with a certain elite group of countries currently succeeding in Quantum Supremacy. The picture of quantum development has been in question since the CIA's initial research project in the 1960's[2]. The question of securing communication lines in an age where computing information is the opulent method of ensconcing one’s position in security development has incited all the major powers to invest heavily in this field. By the means of establishing quantum engineering in the Subcontinent, it raises an essential question: what is the utility of quantum computing and technologies in Defense and Security analysis? This renders not only a proposition on exploring the technological horizons in the said field but also opens the aspect of understanding the countries approach towards development in quantum computing and whether or not India is in a position in this strategic epoch to utilize the full potential of quantum technology.
The United States of America’s Congressional Research Service establishes the definition by equating it with the fact that the field of Quantum Science relates to the study of the smallest particles of matter and energy. This premise defines Quantum Information Science of securing and transferring of information in non-traditional and current gen computing ways. In defense research ter quantum computing is application of the aforementioned quantum technological principles incorporating applicability of quantum entanglement and quantum superposition for creating quantum- secured communication. The desired technology of quantum computing is targeted for dramatic changes and exceptional development in the computational capability in order to secure communications and perform exceptional computations[3]. As per the Thales Data Threat Report of 2019, the forecast of quantum computing is to offer exceptional cryptography and security solutions by making it more difficult to break the security platforms. It's essential to note that technological development doesn't provide as much logistical improvement i.e, weight and power (SWaP) improvements in juxtaposition to the methodological development that is expected out of the research. Specifically, DRDO’s development has been in Quantum Communication by using what is known as “Quantum Key Distribution technology”. QKD, transfer the encryption keys as quantum bits a.k.a qubits[4]. The complexity of QKD and Quantum technology is depicted through the use of qubits. Qubits act as the basic resources in quantum computing. As a unit of measuring information, a single qubit is encoded upon a photon subsequently connected to the whole information and communication channel[5]. Being the smallest unit of energy, an illegitimate entry will be bound to affect a qubit, which will be easily read in a transmission precisely increasing the accuracy of transmission error. The success of this transmission error is due to the fact that QKD proposes an egress from the classical coding of 0 and 1. Qubits represent every single possible intermediate at the same time, and the ideal goal stands to be able to control every single qubit encoded in photons simultaneously and create faster and more secure systems than the traditional computing softwares[6].
The ebullient scope of quantum technology has seen substantial financial and development programmes by the United Kingdom. The UK’s national programme for quantum technology was initiated in 2014 with the aim of recognising the potential in quantum computing and sensors[7]. Compared with the international community, the United Kingdom had the first systematic and a projected national programme towards quantum technology which saw the largest number of prototype testing till 2019[8]. The overarching philosophy of the UK's programme was to include a simultaneous working of academia and industrial development, which also edyfied one of the most strategic funding plans of the UK government along with industrial investment. Testing of its quantum technology enabled gravity sensors in 2017 followed by the world’s first chip- to- chip QKD encrypted transmissions to solidify its position as the leading nation in quantum computing development[9]. Oxford university provided a theoretical breakthrough in 2018 by providing with the proposition on trapped- ion qubits and theoretically as the supreme technology for quantum computing. Even though the question of UK's success is heavily based on its industrial success, the goal of the sovereign quantum manufacturing sector is comprehensive in relation to the UK's quantum developments. Royal Society’s Chicheley Hall workshops from 2013 to 2016 had allowed the UK economy to attract substantial investors into the quantum technological sector. In 2020, the potential of quantum developments was further endorsed with a 270 million pound investment project out of which 120 million has been specifically directed towards the finalization of quantum imaging, quantum communications and quantum sensors[10]. Quantum meters, intended for measuring gravity and accurate detection of local gravitational fields for higher applications in mineral prospecting, seismology and underground surveys are currently the UK’s next biggest development in Quantum technology. Defence Science and Technological Laboratory under the Government of the United Kingdom, as per its 2020 report projects that quantum navigation could be the upcoming alternate to the global navigation satellite systems, specifically Global Positioning System.
The US and China tensions for security and strategic development has been the cause of a problems at international level. China has a substantial edge upon the race with the development of quantum satellites, which, as per empirical evidence suggests are unhackable. A budgetary proposal with a projected investment growth from 10 billion to 15 billion in next five years on quantum computing, initiated in 2019, presents a strong Chinese narrative on the development of quantum computing[11]. Using the analogy of “guns and butter”, a further proposition of 400 million on quantum based sensing and timing has been directed by the Chinese state to present a counter narrative to the European Union's 2018 project of 1 billion US dollar annual investment for the upcoming 10 years[12]. Whole of the Government approach towards the quantum development of the Chinese state is an incubus for the USA. This incubus is validated when seen the breakthrough that China has been able to manage since 2016. Launching of the first quantum satellite, The Micius Satellite, successfully teleporting a photon to Earth in 2017[13]. The Micius Satellite also completed QKD to stations in Xinglong, China and Graz, Austria[14]. Terrestrial Quantum- Communication link between Beijing and Shanghai and functional reality of post- quantum cryptanalysis is a 10 billion funded project undertaken by National Laboratory for Quantum Information Sciences in Hefei, Anhui Province target for 2030. Pellucid research on quantum development, which the US has undertaken since the 1950's, has been given a financial push since 2016. Government sponsorship of 200 million in quantum research and commitment of 250 million in 2018 by the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation to support quantum sensing is expected to provide subsequent breakthroughs till 2025[15]. United States of America’s Army Research Office extensive funding in quantum computing and US Air Force’s push towards transformative technology for information and space warfare. Google, IBM, Intel and Microsoft’s private endeavors which also includes caanadian based company D- Wave Systems, have led the research towards the parameters of military usage and future prospects of deployment. August 2020 saw the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy announced worth upto 625 million over for various Quantum R&D centers and this proposition is built upon the 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act which aimed at boosting nationwide investment and scientific technologies. The Office of Naval Research has proposed a next-generation atomic clock in 2021 which The Defense Innovation Unit claims to be 1,000 times higher performance[16]. Currently, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency has a chip-scale atomic clock, but the potential is yet to be completely explored by the US. In 2020, the Congress also gave the biggest proposition of 800 million dollar in the Pentagon's budget for quantum projects. Summation of the project proposition concludes a move towards realizing the theoretical developments of the United States whereas the working developments of the Chinese state reveals a big gap between the US and China’s quantum developments[17]. The US apogee has revealed its substantial move of funding the quantum technological developments and is believed to counter the Chinese narrative.
India’s National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Application (NM-QTA) established a proposition of Rs. 8,000 crore is directed to compete with the leading nations in quantum technological development[18]. DRDO’s QKD technology is sharing of encrypted keys over the air states that Quantum based communication is offering that conclusive solution for securing the communication lines. The recording of photons between DRDL and RCL done by The Single Photon Avalanche Detector (SPAD) was recorded equal to the range of kbps with low Quantum bit error rate and the software is been given the trajectory for developing data acquisition, time synchronization, post- processing, and determining Quantum bit error rate[19]. Rules and Regulation of the QKD and the standards that have been set for its military function has been specified and unified under the Cipher Policy Committee for a pragmatic framework.
Confluence of modern theoretical physics, engineering and computer science has provided defense research a means to unprecedented processing power for highly secure encryption for communication satellites. Quantum Supremacy and contention for the newer generation of supercomputers is proving to be a drastic shift in security developments. Questions on the applicability of Quantum technology still remains a big question which needs to be explored. Theoretically, the financial endorsement of the state and the political inclination towards Quantum Technology provides us with a strong narrative about the future of quantum technology and computing. With India’s deployment of the QKD technology and the potential that has been seen in the contending security superpowers, the future of global politics and emerging security narratives will be dependent on how the research on usage for Quantum technology. India’s entry into this elite group changes the dynamic on security and strategic dimensions.
Notes
[1] Financial Express (December 11, 2020). “A Quantum Leap: DRDO’s quantum- comm success big, now focus on NM- QTA”.
[2] Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science (2018). “National Strategic Overview for Quantum Information”. Committee on Science, National Science and Technology Committee, United States of America.
[3] Naguleswaran, S (2010). “A New Paradigm for Secure Military Communications: Quantum Information Process”.
[4] DRDO ( December 12, 2020). “Press Release”. Quantum Communication between 2 DRDO Laboratories 9th December, 2020.
[5] Op Cit. ibid.
[6] Phillip, I (2018). “Responsible Innovation in Quantum Technology applied to Defense and National Security”. U.K. National Quantum Technological Progress.
[7] ibid.
[8] ibid.
[9] Davies, A. Kennedy, P( November, 2018). “Special Report: Quantum Technology and their application to Defence”. Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Defence and Strategy Program.
[10] Defence Science and Technology (2020). “Defence Technological Framework”, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
[11] Kania, B. K. (2018). “China’s Quantum Quandary”. Military Cyber Affairs. Centre for New American Security- 2018.
[12] ibid.
[13] Zhong, Q.(2019). “Quantum Information Research in China”. Quantum Science and Technology Vol 4(4).
[14] Op. Cit, ibid.
[15] The Military Balance (February, 2019). “Quantum Computing and Defence”. International Institute for Strategic Studies, pp- 18- 29.
[16] Figliola, M. P. (November 1, 2019). “Quantum Information Science: Global Research and Development”. Congressional Research Committee.
[17] Sayler, M. K.(November 10, 2020). “Emerging Military Technology”. Congressional Research Service, R45409.
[18] Financial Express (December 11, 2020). “A Quantum Leap: DRDO’s quantum- comm success big, now focus on NM- QTA”.
[19] The Hindu ( December 9, 2020). “DRDO successfully demonstrates quantum communication between 2 Labortaritories”.
Pic courtesy-https://www.newscientist.com/
(The views expressed are personal.)
