insider brief
- The Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will target quantum sensor technology for a new portfolio.
- The department announced the launch of a commercial solution in search of mature quantum sensing technology.
- The DIU is part of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and helps the U.S. military gain faster access to new commercial technologies.
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a defense organization focused on emerging technologies, is eyeing quantum sensor technology as part of its new portfolio of emerging defense technologies, defense analysts report.
The organization said its “Emerging Technologies” portfolio highlights the force’s commitment to advancing technologies that have not yet established a path to the Pentagon’s operational framework. The DIU is part of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and helps the U.S. military gain faster access to new commercial technologies. His DIU, launched in 2015, aims to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology across the military and expand the national security innovation base.
Defense Scoop reports that the first push in this portfolio is the Quantum Sensor Transition (TQS) program, which seeks prototypes from industry that can enhance position, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities through advanced quantum sensing. Did. As detailed in the commercial solutions published on his website at DIU, the program is designed to mature quantum sensing technology and validate its capabilities in defense operations.
Air Force Lt. Col. Nicholas Estep will lead the portfolio and oversee the exploration and integration of commercial and non-traditional “deep technology” capabilities, Defense Scoop reported.
Quantum sensors can detect atomic-level changes in movement and electromagnetic fields. Such capabilities could represent a dramatic advance over traditional sensors and provide unparalleled accuracy and sensitivity in military operations. The TQS call emphasized that these technologies are ready for operational demonstration in military settings. In this program, he will explore three main areas: inertial sensing, magnetometers, and spiral enhancements in quantum sensing.
Inertial sensors are known to accumulate minimal error in sensor measurements over time, also known as low drift rates, and are accurate without requiring regular updates from systems such as GPS. You can maintain accurate navigation for a long time. This feature is critical in missions where traditional navigation aids are unavailable or unreliable. Magnetic navigation (MagNav) systems, on the other hand, are ideal for operation in difficult conditions due to their robustness against interference such as environmental factors and hostile jamming.
DIU recruitment explores ways to integrate magnetometers for geomagnetic surveying and magnetic anomaly detection. In the military, these applications may be used in submarine operations and explosives detection. Combining these devices with drones could give militaries increased mobility and expanded operational range.
Proposals for the TQS program are expected to be submitted by May 29, with DIU recommending solutions that address both inertial and magnetic sensing needs through modular, iterative design. The agency prioritizes technologies that provide flexible applications across a variety of military missions.
“The objective is to conduct interim functional demonstrations of these solutions, leading to operational demonstrations within the next five years,” the DIU release states.
In addition, the emerging technology portfolio will soon include hypersonic efforts and will be responsible for the High Cadence Aerial Test Capability (HyCAT) program. The move is aimed at accelerating hypersonic test system prototyping and further expanding the Department of Defense’s capabilities in this area.
In the future, the portfolio will launch prototyping projects in advanced materials and propulsion, nanotechnology, photonics, microelectronics, additive manufacturing and quantum information science, DIU said. These efforts reflect DIU’s continued efforts to maintain the U.S. military’s technological superiority and ensure its readiness in the face of evolving global threats.
