Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-1346
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-04-08
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2025-04-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1346 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 8, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Ms. Hassan ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to accelerate the implementation of quantum information science technologies within the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025 . 2. Joint quantum information science defense transition activities Chapter 301 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 4001 the following new section: 4002. Joint quantum information science defense transition activities (a) Activities required (1) In general The Secretary of Defense shall establish a set of activities to accelerate the adoption and implementation quantum information science technology within the Department of Defense. (2) Elements Pursuant to the activities established under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Principal Quantum Advisor designated under subsection (b), shall— (A) explore and identify quantum information science technologies and use cases that— (i) have demonstrated value in advancing the priorities and missions of the Department; and (ii) may be applied to address operational problems; (B) develop plans to transition such quantum information science technologies from the research and development phase to operational use within the Department, including within each of the Armed Forces; and (C) carry out such transition plans. (b) Designation of Principal Quantum Advisor (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025 , the Secretary of Defense shall designate a senior official of the Department of Defense to serve as the Principal Quantum Advisor for the Department. (2) Responsibilities The Principal Quantum Advisor shall serve as the official within the Department of Defense with principal responsibility for— (A) coordinating activities relating to the accelerated demonstration and transition of quantum information science technologies for applications specific to operational challenges faced by the Department; (B) coordinating, overseeing, and managing the set of activities established under subsection (a); (C) carrying out the activities described in paragraphs (3) through (6); and (D) carrying out such other duties relating to the development and implementation of quantum information science technologies as the Secretary may direct. (3) Defining and codifying Defense quantum information science use cases (A) In general The Principal Quantum Advisor shall— (i) identify operational challenges faced by the Department of Defense that have the potential to be addressed through the use of quantum information science-technology based solutions, including solutions based on the quantum information science technology areas described subparagraph (C); (ii) for each such challenge, determine if the implementation of a quantum information science technology-based solution has the potential to be significantly more effective at addressing such challenge compared to a non-quantum information science technology-based solution, taking into account the technology and manufacturing readiness level of the quantum information science technology-based solution; (iii) for each potential quantum information science technology-based solution identified under clause (ii), evaluate and determine the technology and manufacturing readiness level of the solution taking into account the current readiness level of such solution— (I) within the Department; (II) among other departments and agencies of the Federal Government; (III) among Five Eyes countries; and (IV) within academia and industry. (iv) for each quantum information science technology-based solution determined under clause (iii) to have a technology and manufacturing readiness level of 5 or higher, begin prototyping and evaluation activities of such solution at scale in operationally relevant environments by not later than the end of fiscal year 2025; and (v) for each quantum information science technology-based solution determined under clause (iii) to have a technology and manufacturing readiness level of 4 or lower, submit to Congress a plan for funding such solution over the period of five fiscal years following the date of the report using research, development, test, and evaluation funds designated as budget activity 1 (basic research), budget activity 2 (applied research), budget activity 3 (advanced technology development), or budget activity 4 (advanced component development and prototypes) as those budget activity classifications are set forth in volume 2B, chapter 5 of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DOD 7000.14–R), or successor regulation. (B) Coordination In carrying out this paragraph, the Principal Quantum Advisor shall coordinate with and seek input from the Armed Forces and unified combatant commands— (i) to identify and better understand the operational requirements of such Armed Forces and commands; and (ii) to ensure that the timeline for transitioning any quantum information science technology-based capability to operational use within the Armed Forces and combatant commands aligns with— (I) the plans of such Forces and commands across the period covered by the future-years defense program; and (II) the program objective memorandum processes for such Forces and commands. (C) quantum information science technology areas described The quantum information science technology areas described in this subparagraph are the following: (i) Quantum sensing, including— (I) alternative precision navigation and timing; (II) undersea or underground detection; (III) advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance quantum imaging techniques; and (IV) biomedical and health care. (ii) Quantum computing, including— (I) annealing; (II) quantum-enabled machine learning; (III) simulation and optimization; and (IV) integrating quantum computing with high-performance supercomputing. (iii) Quantum annealing. (iv) Quantum communications, networking, and networked quantum computers. (v) Quantum-enabled modeling and simulation. (vi) Hybrid quantum computing and the integration of quantum and classical computing components. (vii) Such other quantum-enabled technologies as the Principal Quantum Advisor considers appropriate. (4) Acceleration of Development and Fielding of quantum information science technologies The Principal Quantum Advisor shall— (A) use the flexibility of regulations, personnel, acquisition, partnerships with industry and academia, or other relevant policies of the Department to accelerate the transition and fielding of quantum information science technologies; (B) ensure engagement with combatant commands, defense and private industries, research universities, and unaffiliated, nonprofit research institutions on matters relating such quantum information science technologies; and (C) provide technical advice and support organizations and elements of the Department of Defense, including the Armed Forces, to optimize the use of quantum information science technologies to meet mission requirements. (5) Industry and academia engagement (A) Inclusion in Consortium The Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall ensure that the Principal Quantum Advisor is included in the activities of the consortium established pursuant to section 201(b) of the National Quantum Initiative Act ( 15 U.S.C. 8831(b) ). (B) Outreach activities Not less frequently than once each quarter, the Principal Quantum Advisor shall conduct outreach and engagement with industry and academic leaders— (i) to educate organizations in the quantum information science industrial base on national security quantum information science use cases and operational challenges faced by the Department that have the potential to be addressed through the use of quantum information science technology-based solutions as described in paragraph (3); (ii) to the extent determined appropriate by the Principal Quantum Advisor, provide industry with the opportunity to identify quantum information science technology-based solutions to operational challenges faced by the Department; (iii) to educate organizations in the Defense industrial base on near-term and commercially available quantum information science technology-based solutions that provide operationally relevant warfighting capabilities; (iv) to advance relevant quantum information science supply chains and manufacturing capabilities within the United States and among allies and partners of the United States; and (v) to facilitate the commercialization of quantum information science technology-based solutions developed by the research and engineering organizations of the Department of Defense. (6) Allied Quantum Enhancement (A) Alignment with AUKUS efforts Based on the quantum information science use cases identified under paragraph (3)(A)(ii), the Principal Quantum Advisor shall— (i) identify areas in which the United Kingdom and Australia, pursuant to Pillar II the partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (commonly known as AUKUS ) are pursuing technology aligned with such use cases; and (ii) align Department research and development and procurement funding in relation to quantum information science technologies on accelerating opportunities where Australia and the United Kingdom are pursuing such technologies. (B) Multilateral AUKUS and NATO meetings The Principal Quantum Advisor shall organize— (i) a recurring multilateral meeting of quantum technology experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia to facilitate information-sharing and planning relevant to quantum information science technology and defense-specific use cases for such technology; and (ii) a recurring multilateral meeting of quantum technology experts from member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to facilitate such information-sharing and planning. (c) Strategic plan (1) Plan required The Secretary shall develop strategic plan to guide the development, assessment, procurement, and implementation of quantum information science technologies within the Department over the period of five years following the date of the plan. (2) Elements The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) Plans for the continuous evaluation, development, and implementation of quantum information science technology solutions within the Department. (B) Plans for the development, review, performance evaluation, and adoption of a fault-tolerant, utility-scale quantum computer and the transition of that capability to appropriate organizations and elements of the Department, including the Armed Forces, and such other departments and agencies of the Federal Government as the Secretary determines appropriate. (C) Plans for allocating the resources of the Department to ensure such resources are focused on quantum information science technologies with the potential to solve operational challenges. (D) Identification of quantum information science technologies that— (i) have critical defense-specific applications; (ii) cannot be adapted from commercially available quantum information science technology; and (iii) are unlikely to be pursued or accelerated by industry because of limited commercial value. (E) Plans for supporting the development of capabilities identified under subparagraph (D). (F) Plans to help strengthen the quantum information science supply chain domestically and among trusted allies and against untrusted adversaries, including through an assessment of— (i) any associated strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and (ii) critical components, suppliers, and single points of failure. (3) Report to Congress Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025 , the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes the plan developed under paragraph (1). (d) Commercial security strategy The Secretary shall adopt a comprehensive security strategy for commercially developed capabilities based on the guide utilized in the Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. (e) National Security quantum information science Adoption Acceleration Testbed (1) Establishment The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy, shall establish a national defense quantum information science joint center of excellence (referred to in this subsection as the Center ). (2) Organization The Center shall be operated by the Secretary and shall include participation from at least the following organizations: (A) One or more research laboratories of the Armed Forces. (B) A National Laboratory (as defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 15801 )). (C) A federally funded research and development center or a university-affiliated research center. (D) Quantum information science companies. (3) Location The Secretary of Defense shall establish the Center at a location in the United States that is reasonably accessible to each organization described in paragraph (2). (4) Activities The Center shall carry out the following activities: (A) Facilitate quantum information science technology transition and workforce development activities. (B) Conduct outreach to enhance industry and academia’s understanding of and contribution to national security quantum information science technology use cases and current operational challenges faced by the Department. (C) Prototype quantum information science technologies, with priority given to the prototyping and transition of quantum information science-enabled position, navigation, and timing efforts and quantum sensors at technology readiness level six or higher. (D) Integrate the prototyping activities under subparagraph (C) with the needs of the unified combatant commands. (E) Accelerate the transition of advanced quantum information science technology from the research and development phase into operational use. (F) Expand the quantum information science workforce of the United States and the quantum information science workforces of nations that are allies and partners of the United States. (5) Contract authority The Secretary may award grants and enter into contracts and other agreements, on a competitive basis, to support the activities of the Center. (6) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. (f) Research opportunities and workforce planning (1) Enhancement of research opportunities Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of Defense Quantum Acceleration Act of 2025 , the Secretary shall seek to increase opportunities for the study of quantum information science within— (A) the military service academies. (B) the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; and (C) other institutions and programs of the Department and the Armed Forces that provide postsecondary and graduate level education. (2) Standard operating procedures The Secretary shall direct the chief of each Armed Force, in consultation with the heads of the research laboratories under the jurisdiction of such Armed Force— (A) to adopt internal standard operating procedures for quantum information science workforce development to monitor and evaluate progress toward human capital goals and human capital programmatic results; and (B) to involve top management, employees, and other stakeholders in quantum information science workforce planning by— (i) developing and implementing an enterprise-wide strategic quantum workforce plan; and (ii) communicating quantum workforce goals, initiatives, and metrics for evaluating success throughout each laboratory. (g) Budget review (1) In general The Secretary shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), require the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of the Defense Agencies with responsibilities associated with any quantum information science activity to transmit the proposed budget for such activities for a fiscal year and for the period covered by the future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of this title for that fiscal year to the Principal Quantum Advisor for review before submitting the proposed budget to the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). (2) Report to Secretary The Principal Quantum Advisor shall review each proposed budget transmitted, and, not later than January 31 of the year preceding the fiscal year for which the budget is proposed, shall submit to the Secretary a report containing the comments of the Principal Quantum Advisor with respect to all such proposed budgets, together with the certification of the Principal Quantum Advisor regarding whether each proposed budget is adequate. (3) Report to Congress Not later than March 31 of each year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report specifying each proposed budget that the Principal Quantum Advisor did not certify to be adequate. The report of the Secretary shall include the following matters: (A) A discussion of the actions that the Secretary proposes to take, together with any recommended legislation that the Secretary considers appropriate, to address the inadequacy of the proposed budgets specified in the report. (B) Any additional comments that the Secretary considers appropriate regarding the inadequacy of the proposed budgets. (h) Definitions In this section; (1) The term Five Eyes countries means the following: (A) Australia. (B) Canada. (C) New Zealand. (D) The United Kingdom. (E) The United States. (2) The term quantum information science means the use of the laws of quantum physics for the storage, transmission, manipulation, computing, or measurement of information. .