China recently announced that it has developed a prototype of the world's first quantum computer. But how does the world's leading military used these machines and turn them into powerful weapons?
"The news is of great importance in the military sphere, where the possible use of quantum computers is being discussed with greater and greater frequency. All leading countries are aiming to be the first to create such machines," RIA Novosti contributor Ilya Plekhanov said.
Quantum computers, with its theoretical computation capabilities, could be applied to several military applications including engaging in the near-instantaneous hacking of encrypted military servers and controlling the enemy's national infrastructure systems.
Furthermore, quantum computers will also help enhance the performance of unmanned and autonomous military vehicles, making military robots "make decisions faster, work more accurately, engage multiple targets, 'see' the battlefield better and calculate forward to greater depth than enemy robots," Plekhanov said, noting that "this means... they would win battles."
The computers could also be used on the different phases of new weapons, new materials, and even on the development of new war tactics. Lockheed Martin director Ray Johnson said that quantum computers could forecast how satellites software would behave after a solar sun burst or a nuclear pulse explosion.
These are just some of the many benefits quantum computers could offer and the reasons why countries like Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Israel, Russia, and the US are trying to race to dominate the industry.
Russia has started creating a quantum computer based on superconductor technology last year, Maxim Vakstein, project head of the Foundation for Advanced Research project, said. In fact, two of its quantum computing research institutes, namely, Russian Quantum Center and the MISiS National University of Science and Technology, have also joined efforts to create a project known as Quantum Center with the sole aim of creating quantum computers.
Europe also plans to develop its own quantum computer over the next decade, allocating about a billion dollars on its Quantum Technologies Flagship Program.
US experts also said that losing the race to the moon is better than being defeated in the race of creating the world's most powerful quantum computer. Dr. Chad Rigetti, a former member of the IBM's quantum-computing research group, said that US must create a strategy that views quantum computing "as a way to regain American superiority in high-performance computing."
Ultimately, Plekhanov admitted that the world's geopolitical and military picture will significantly change if China becomes the leader of the "quantum revolution."