Australian Army’s New Ground in Robotics and Quantum Technology

(TheAustralian) The Australian Army is turning to science to provide solutions. The army’s vision for the future hinges on its “Accelerated Warfare” and “Army in Motion” principles, and emerging solutions such as robotics and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, are essential to the way it prepares itself for future warfare.
The inaugural Quantum Technology Challenge (QTC 2021) considered responses to three challenges the army considers areas where quantum technologies can be applied. The first will examine ways of using the technology to detect structures and objects below the ground. The second aims to develop a means of disrupting or denying the secure space-based communications of adversaries, and the third will use quantum computing to optimise the army’s logistics chain.
The QTC 2021 event also saw the launch of the Army Quantum Technology Roadmap, which it sees as a critical first move for the development and application for the technologies in the land domain.
In terms of the army’s accelerated warfare vision, quantum technologies of interest include robotic and autonomous systems and cyber and information warfare. Addressing the Army in Motion principles, the document lists adaptive thinking, partnering, the development of sovereign industry capability and integration with a joint and integrated force as key themes.
“Quantum technologies are part of a group of emerging disruptive technologies that have the potential to drive significant change in the character of warfare,” explained Head Land Capability Major-General Simon Stuart during roadmap’s launch.
“They are diverse, complex and generally early in technical readiness, in terms of their application.
“They demand that we think in new ways about how we employ and exploit them. Therefore, our challenge is to adapt, understand, co-develop and exploit the opportunities that quantum technologies offer.”