Written by:
Arjun Jayaraman
Supervised by: Elise Alsteens and Kevin Whitehead
Edited by:
Jackson Elder
Abstract:
Positioning, Navigation, Timing (PNT) and sensing are crucial for fighting wars. However, problems are on the horizon: (i) GPS-denied or degraded environments; (ii) drift in inertial navigation sensors; and (iii) radars that struggle to identify ever-stealthier platforms. PNT and sensing technology such as nitrogen-vacancy centres, cold atom interferometry, and quantum illumination rely on the principles of nature and quantum particles’ interaction with gravity and magnetic fields to produce hyper-accurate results. Europe has done well to build a comprehensive policy and funding environment for researching and developing quantum sensors. However, it should pay attention to and report on issues such as retaining talent and supply chain sovereignty.
