Google Is Claiming A Major Breakthrough In Quantum Computing. Implications On National Defense Will Be Enormous

Fortune: Google Claims ‘Quantum Supremacy,’ Marking a Major Milestone in Computing

In what may be a huge milestone in computing, Google says it has achieved "quantum supremacy," an experimental demonstration of the superiority of a quantum computer over a traditional one.

The claim, made in a new scientific paper, is the most serious indication yet that the promise of quantum computers—an emerging but unproven type of machine—is becoming reality, including their potential to solve formerly ungraspable mathematical problems.

Essentially, Google purports to have pulled off a stunt on a quantum computer that no classical machine—not even the world's most powerful supercomputer—can replicate.

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WNU Editor: This is why advancements in quantum computers are important for the defense establishment ....

Quantum computing in a Defence context (Australian Defence)
The US and China are in a quantum arms race that will transform warfare (MIT Technology Review)

The U.S. And China Are In A Quantum Arms Race

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MIT Technology Review: The US and China are in a quantum arms race that will transform warfare

Radar that can spot stealth aircraft and other quantum innovations could give their militaries a strategic edge.

In the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War, American military planners began to worry about the threat to US warplanes posed by new, radar-guided missile defenses in the USSR and other nations. In response, engineers at places like US defense giant Lockheed Martin’s famous “Skunk Works” stepped up work on stealth technology that could shield aircraft from the prying eyes of enemy radar.

The innovations that resulted include unusual shapes that deflect radar waves—like the US B-2 bomber’s “flying wing” design (above)—as well as carbon-based materials and novel paints. Stealth technology isn’t yet a Harry Potter–like invisibility cloak: even today’s most advanced warplanes still reflect some radar waves. But these signals are so small and faint they get lost in background noise, allowing the aircraft to pass unnoticed.

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WNU Editor: If we go by who is issuing the most patents when it comes to quantum research, China is beating everyone combined hands down.