Updated U.S. Defense Policy Affirms DOD Should Coordinate with National Quantum Initiative Act Entities

(AIP.org) The House and Senate have completed work on their respective versions of the annual legislation that updates U.S. defense policy. The bills include numerous proposals related to DOD’s research laboratories, innovation policy, nuclear weapons, research security, and climate change, among other areas.
Over the last several years, Congress has directed policy and organizational changes at DOD that aim to improve the department’s ability to develop pathbreaking technologies and to transition them rapidly into acquisition programs.
The House and Senate bills both include provisions affirming the DOD QIS program authorized in last year’s NDAA should coordinate with entities established under the National Quantum Initiative Act. The House further backs the creation of an “innovation center” that would aim to accelerate Air Force QIS R&D by providing an environment for collaboration with industry and academia. Notably, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate in Rome, New York, is currently establishing a “Quantum Hub” in partnership with the State University of New York that will be part of the IBM Q Network.