Pentagon expands quantum computing push to secure military tech superiority

The Pentagon is committing around $350 million to advance US quantum computing capabilities, as Washington seeks to turn emerging research into technologies with potential military applications, including more efficient logistics, advanced materials development, and next-generation weapons systems.

The initiative is part of a broader push to maintain US leadership in a field that could eventually transform encryption, materials science, logistics, and weapons development.

The investment comes as both the US and China expand their quantum research programs. While practical, large-scale quantum computing remains a major engineering challenge, governments are increasingly treating the technology as a strategic capability rather than just a scientific pursuit.

Strengthening military capabilities through quantum computing

The US Department of War announced the initiative through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, which advises the Pentagon on emerging technologies.

“Dominance in quantum information science is a critical priority for both President Trump and the Department of War. Maintaining American leadership in this field is essential to preserving our technological edge, and R&E is uniquely positioned to drive the innovation needed across academia and industry,” Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, said in a statement.

The initiative follows a June executive order aimed at accelerating quantum technology deployment, commercialization and domestic manufacturing. The Pentagon expects the resulting capabilities to support the development of next-generation weapons, platforms and other military systems that could be more effective, affordable and easier to manufacture.

Quantum computers process information using quantum-mechanical effects, allowing them to tackle certain problems differently from conventional computers. Their potential applications include modeling advanced materials and chemical reactions, optimizing complex logistics networks and addressing some computational problems that are impractical for today’s systems.

Cryptography is another area of strategic interest, since sufficiently powerful quantum computers in the future could break widely used public-key encryption methods, although today’s machines cannot yet do this at the scale required. That prospect has also accelerated efforts to develop quantum-resistant cryptography.

US, China expanding their quantum programs

China has made quantum technology a strategic research priority, backed by substantial state investment. The country established its National Laboratory for Quantum Information Sciences in 2017, and its 2026–2030 five-year plan identifies quantum research and applications as areas of focus.

Chinese military interest extends to potential cyberwarfare applications. A 2026 report described more than 10 experimental quantum cyberwarfare tools as being under development by the People’s Liberation Army. Their capabilities and operational maturity, however, remain unclear.

Washington is also responding with funding across defense and civilian research programs, as US lawmakers have reportedly discussed increasing annual military spending on quantum development and applications by 68%, to $567 million, according to Bloomberg. The US Department of Energy has also launched the Quantum Genesis Q Competition, offering up to $215 million to companies working toward fault-tolerant quantum computers.

The Pentagon’s latest initiative comes alongside additional support for companies attempting to build useful quantum computers, the South China Morning Post reported. Its Office of Strategic Capital has signed a conditional loan commitment worth $150 million with PsiQuantum, and the funding is intended to strengthen the company’s advanced manufacturing and prototyping capabilities in the US.