3C illustration of a quantum processor
(Picture: Shutterstock / Yurchanka Siarhei)The Ministry of Defence has reportedly acquired the Government’s first quantum computer.
The machines are able to rapidly make highly complex calculations that cannot be done by regular computers.
The BBC said the ministry will work with London-based firm Orca Computing on applying the computers to defence applications.
It marked a “milestone moment”, according to Stephen Till of the ministry’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DTSL).
Most computers process data in bits, which have a binary value of either zero or one, whereas quantum computers use a two-state unit for data processing called a qubit.
Prof Winfried Hensinger, head of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies at University of Sussex, told the BBC the true potential of quantum computers will take time to fully materialise.
“They can’t actually solve any any practical problems yet. They’re enabling you to maybe gauge the possibilities of what working on a quantum computer would have if you can scale this machine to really large system sizes.”
Richard Murray, chief executive of Orca Computing, said the company’s work with the MoD is a “significant vote of confidence”.
“Our partnership with MoD gives us the type of hands-on close interaction, working with real hardware which will help us to jointly discover new applications of this revolutionary new technology.”
