Pentagon unveils US$350 million quantum computing push as China rivalry grows

The Pentagon announced on Thursday a new multimillion-dollar initiative for “maintaining American leadership” in quantum computing capabilities amid accelerating competition between the US and China over the military application of advanced technology.

In a press release, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Research and Engineering, which serves as the US Department of Defence’s chief technology adviser, announced that the new initiative, worth around $350 million, is aimed at strengthening US leadership in quantum computing capabilities to “support national security.”

Quantum computing dominance is a “critical priority” for the Trump administration, said Emil Michael, undersecretary of defence for research and engineering, citing a June executive order to accelerate the technology’s deployment, commercialisation and domestic manufacturing across the US.

“Maintaining American leadership in this field is essential to preserving our technological edge,” he said.