The Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with IBM (NYSE: IBM) to explore the potential applications of commercial quantum technology to U.S. Air Force operations.
AFRL said Tuesday that it will work with the company’s researchers to examine optimization challenges, quantum chemistry simulation and machine learning algorithms on actual hardware through the IBM Q Network.
Both parties want to establish a quantum hub to utilize an agile and transformative ecosystem and foster collaborative scientific research initiatives to address technological issues.
“We are conducting development and testing of many of the new high-performance computing architectures, including neuromorphic computing, so we want to be certain we’re also positioning ourselves to lead quantum idea generation and capability development for the Air Force,†said Col. Timothy Lawrence, director of AFRL’s information directorate.
Paul Alsing, principal physicist and a fellow at the laboratory, said a quantum computer will work to help researchers explore “pathfinder problems that will demonstrate a quantum advantage over conventional computers and realize the promise of quantum computation that to date has only been theorized.”
