Israel national security project developing quantum computer for ‘quantum independence’

(IsraelNews) Israel’s innovation and weapons research and development authorities will soon publish the first tender for building an Israeli quantum computer, as part of a massive project intended to give Israel “strategic capabilities” in the nascent field. The Israeli quantum computer – intended for the defense establishment and tech scene – is a national security project to give Israel ‘quantum’ independence: ‘We see China and U.S. racing’
The project by the Israel Innovation Authority and the weapons and technological infrastructure research body will result in a computer owned by the state and will be funded with a budget of about 200 million shekels ($61.9 million). The goal is to establish a consortium of companies working together to build an Israeli quantum computer for research and development for the academic world, local high-tech industry and the security establishment.
The program will operate on two tracks. One, which will be led by the Innovation Authority, is to build a quantum computer within about a year with a processor of approximately 20 qubits.
Because Israel has no entity or past knowledge in constructing such a computer from scratch, the expectation is that foreign companies with expertise in the field ( and there are a number of such companies abroad, such as IQM and IonQ) will participate to provide domain expertise.
Talks have already been held with a number of companies. The Innovation Authority says that it does not intend to purchase a “black box” model of quantum processors from these companies. What that means, is that Israel wants to develop the computer and the process itself, and not buy a ready-to-use product whose inner workings are known only to its creators.