Department of National Defence Quantum IDEaS Opportunity Coming Soon

Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) Quantum Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy. Credit: Department of National Defence.

A new Department of National Defence (DND) IDEaS challenge is coming within the next week focused on “preparing for a quantum world,” including technologies used in the space sector.

The upcoming Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) challenge will first start with DND issuing a letters of intent (LOI) before the end of the month.

DND will be “fund research clusters to develop, integrate, and demonstrate quantum technologies that can revolutionize current defence and security capabilities in:”

  • Quantum sensing and sensors (including for positioning, navigation and timing);
  • Quantum communications; and,
  • Quantum computing, simulations and algorithms.

The upcoming LOI will be posted to the DND IDEaS website.

This opportunity follows the release two years ago of the Quantum Science and Technology Strategy.

At the time of the release of the new strategy, DND stated that “this is the first federal department quantum science and technology strategy and will position DND/CAF to anticipate the disruption expected by quantum technology, act to take advantage of cutting-edge science and adapt to quantum innovation.  Quantum S&T has a wide array of defence, safety and security applications, such as sensing (including positioning, navigation and timing), communications, computing, and the development of new materials.”

Unsurprisingly, its taken two years for DND to get to this stage. In that time the companies interested in developing the technologies related to the LOI have had a lot time to prepare. So when the LOI is released shortly, the responses should come in quickly.

To recap what the strategy hoped to achieve here are the points;

  • Focusing initial efforts on developing world-leading quantum sensing applications.
  • Evaluating new threats and vulnerabilities that may be introduced by quantum technologies.
  • Moving quantum technologies out of the laboratory into working prototypes.
  • Establishing strong strategic partnerships with other federal government departments to tap into world-class expertise in quantum S&T and drive quantum innovation in defence capabilities.
  • Leveraging investments in world-leading quantum S&T in order to access and accelerate mutually-beneficial quantum technologies developed by international allies.
  • Strengthen DND/CAF’s internal quantum S&T capacity to assess and advise on quantum technologies in a defence, safety and security context, and enable DND/CAF to contribute to and benefit from allied efforts.

Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Quantum Science and Technology Strategy

Read online or download the new DND/CAF’s Quantum Science and Technology Strategy.

About Marc Boucher

Boucher is an entrepreneur, writer, editor & publisher. He is the founder of SpaceQ Media Inc. and CEO and co-founder of SpaceRef Interactive LLC. Boucher has 20+ years working in various roles in the space industry and a total of 30 years as a technology entrepreneur including creating Maple Square, Canada's first internet directory and search engine.

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