EU member states have approved eleven new cooperation projects under the defence cooperation framework known as PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation). One of the projects, Quantum Enablers for Strategic Advantage (QUEST), is led by Finland and will explore how quantum technology can be used to strengthen European defence capabilities.
According to the European Defence Agency (EDA), the project will develop and evaluate quantum technologies for applications including secure navigation, cybersecurity, and air and missile defence. In addition to Finland, the project involves Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Latvia.
A central element of QUEST is the development of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems that are less dependent on satellite navigation such as GPS and other global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). The aim is for these systems to remain operational even in contested or degraded environments.
The project will also examine how quantum technology can be used to improve sensors, communications systems, and computing, as well as contribute to earlier detection of threats such as hypersonic weapons. The work also includes analysis of the opportunities and risks associated with quantum information science in the fields of defence and cybersecurity.
The EDA states that the eleven new projects constitute the sixth and final project round in the first phase of PESCO. In total, 83 cooperation projects have been launched since the initiative was established in 2017, of which 75 are still ongoing.
The next phase of PESCO, covering the period from 2025 to 2029, will according to the EDA be shaped by the deteriorating security situation in Europe and the need to develop shared military capabilities more rapidly.