Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security launched
To further mark the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, we’re pleased to launch the Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security (QCNDS) to drive quantum research in sensing and computing and support our critical mission to keep the nation safe.
Quantum is increasingly recognised as a key capability and area for investment for many industries in the UK through the National Quantum Technology Programme and its important role in defence is highlighted in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review.
The connection between quantum mechanics and nuclear security is longstanding and has endured since the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. It is not merely a legacy of past achievements, but a continuing cornerstone of science that supports our critical and national mission now and in the future.
AWE’s ambitions in quantum are big. Quantum mechanics is not only foundational to our daily modelling of materials and processes but is also actively advanced by a dedicated team.
We’re developing quantum algorithms which will speed up some of our most computationally intensive simulations. We’re also investigating the use of quantum sensors sensitive enough to measure the magnetic field of the brain, yet small enough to be worn as headgear, meaning brain scans can be performed while the patients are free to move. The QCNDS will support our continued work, ensuring we remain at the forefront of scientific progress and advancing quantum capability.
The QCNDS will be led by the University of Strathclyde and include the University of Birmingham with QuSit, the Quantum Hub for Sensing, Imaging and Timing; and the University of Oxford with QCi3, the Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations. It will enable strategic R&D with partners across academia, national laboratories, the Catapult network and UK industry, helping apply quantum technologies to our programme.
You can find out more about the evolving landscape of quantum technologies and what it means for UK science and technology on this recent podcast produced by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FST)in collaboration with AWE’s External Technical Partnerships Office (ETPO). AWE’s Chief Scientist Dr Robert Lock joined Sir Peter Knight, Emeritus Professor of Quantum Optics at Imperial College London, Chair of the National Quantum Technology Programme Strategic Advisory Board, and Co-Chair of the IYQ Steering Group for UNESCO.
Listen to the podcast here.
