DIU Initiates Quantum Sensing Technology Field Testing in Five Crucial Domains
Defense Innovation Unit news
The latest Defense Innovation Unit news highlights a new partnership with SandboxAQ to advance magnetic navigation technologies for GPS-denied environments.
The Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) program of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is entering its field testing phase with the goal of showcasing the military value of cutting-edge quantum sensors to improve strategic Joint Force capabilities like anomaly detection and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT). Within six months of its launch in the summer of 2024, the TQS program quickly moved from strategy to source selection and awards in partnership with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Research & Engineering for Quantum (OUSD(R&E)-Quantum) and service partners.
Quantum sensors promise significant gains in precision, accuracy, and sensitivity when compared to classical sensors, with significant developments in scientific knowledge and commercial development. These solutions are now ready to move forward with field tests.
Subject matter experts and operational stakeholders from around the DoD community were integrated into the QS plan in less than six months.
More than ten field tests of quantum sensing applications in pertinent DoD environments, including ground, air, and maritime domains, are planned for the first phase of the TQS program, which will last around 12 months.
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Today, SandboxAQ announced a partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the Department of War (DoW) to become a part of its Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) program. The goal of this endeavor is to quickly develop and test cutting-edge Magnetic Anomaly Navigation (MagNav) technology for application in autonomous systems by the US military.
In order to guarantee Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) resilience in situations where Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) signals are faulty or blocked, the TQS program, which is overseen by DIU’s Emerging Technologies portfolio, expedites the deployment of commercial quantum sensing technologies. SandboxAQ will use its well-proven, dual-purpose AQNav software as part of the TQS program to provide reliable, resilient navigation without the need for outside signals. SandboxAQ will produce a thorough dataset to compare outcomes to pertinent DoW use-cases and show off the usefulness of AQNav in practical situations.
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Five Main Effort Lines
The five interconnected lines of activity that make up the TQS program are intended to enhance present strategic skills and broaden operational competencies in areas where there is currently no comparable program.
- Quantum inertial sensors: In the absence of external reference signals like GPS, these sensors use linear and angular accelerations to preserve orientation, position, and location custody. Use cases for U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force dynamic, airborne assets, as well as U.S. Navy marine platforms, are the focus of this endeavor. Several Combatant Commands and Air Force Global Strike Command have advocated for these next-generation PNT capabilities.
- One method being developed by TQS is atom interferometry, which measures rotation and acceleration using the wave-like behavior of atoms to provide greater accuracy and long-term stability. An alternative method is to use a polarizing magnetic field to observe the shift in the magnetic moment of noble gas nuclei in order to detect motion.
- Quantum gravimeters, which measure acceleration to identify local gravity effects (gravimetry), are a logical progression of inertial sensors. For navigation based on gravity anomalies and land surveying, this modality is especially helpful. One of the key interested parties is the U.S. Navy, which believes it is perfect for gravity-assisted navigation in the maritime sector. In this quantum variation, acceleration is extracted from Earth’s gravity by using laser-manipulated atoms as the free-falling mass.
- The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Program Manager, Dr. Tommy Willis, stated that these atomic systems offer a unique stability that creates new operational areas in the maritime sector.
- In order to give accurate measurements of minute changes in the magnetic field environment, TQS is concentrating on magnetic sensors, or magnetometers, for navigation and anomaly detection. The strength of the magnetic field and its gradient can be used to identify hostile objects or to navigate in areas where GPS is not available.
- Magnetic Anomaly Navigation (MagNav): When GPS is not available, subtle changes in the Earth’s magnetic field can act as an aircraft’s natural navigation signal. According to Dr. Kevin Brink, Section Chief for Navigation at the AFRL Munitions Directorate, MagNav’s use of small and inexpensive quantum sensors could serve as a pillar for reliable and reasonably priced navigation in the DoD.
- Technology Insertions & Component Development: This area of work focusses on developing components that will allow quantum sensor systems to be smaller in terms of weight, size, and power consumption (SWaP) while also being more robust. This covers the creation of integrated circuits for photonics, chip-scale lasers, and controlling electronics.
- OUSD(R&E) Principal Director of Quantum Science Dr. John Burke emphasized that quantum technology is based on other cutting-edge technologies such as microelectronics and advanced materials. To build a viable quantum technology ecosystem that can be integrated into several DoD systems, funding the development of these elements is essential.
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Working Together and Looking Ahead
A wide range of performers were given Other Transaction (OT) agreements as a result of the TQS program’s extremely competitive request. AOSense, QuSpin, SandboxAQ, Vector Atomic, Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., Honeywell, Leidos, Anduril, and other well-known companies and start-ups are among the performers.
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According to LtCol Estep, DIU promoted collaboration agreements with unconventional partners, such as startups, conventional defense contractors, and non-traditional DoD solution suppliers. The acquisition strategy adopted a comprehensive approach to the final product by bringing together sensor, software, and platform manufacturers for prototype.
Throughout 2025, significant development is expected, including noteworthy field demonstrations across all lines of work. The TQS demonstrators and prototypes will not only provide new clocks, inertial measurement units, and magnetometers, but they will also essentially usher in a new age in PNT, according to Dr. Jeff Hebert, Senior Scientist for PNT at the Air Force Research Lab.
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