Authors
Acknowledgements
This report is based on a White Paper produced under the auspices of the UK MOD’s Communications and Networks Research Programme [16] and is based largely on the output of a Workshop held in March 2024 at QinetiQ Malvern. This workshop was attended by a mix of participants from government, industry and academia and, in addition to the authors, included:
Rob Atkins (QinetiQ), Robert Patching (L3Harris), Sophie Mears (PA Consulting), Mark Everitt (Loughborough University), Kieran Bjergstrom (Loughborough University), Susannah Jones (Dstl), Rosie Sloane (Dstl), Matthew Ball (Thales), Michael Wale (UCL).
Their views and insights were critical in putting together this white paper.
The White Paper was developed for publication in as this report, in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, with input from the Digital Futures Policy Centre.
Subject to Crown copyright © 2024, Dstl, and Crown-owned copyright © 2024, Dstl. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. To view this licence, visit https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information, you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to centralenquiries@dstl.gov.uk
Richard Claridge, Associate director, PA Consulting
Richard is an applied physicist, leading PA’s work in helping clients understand and demonstrate how emergent physics can enable new and differentiated capability that allows us to mitigate conventional engineering limits. Richard is the physics lead on PA’s activities in Quantum Technologies, specific example including quantum sensing for RF applications and the use of quantum computing in creating decision support tools, including “the first piece of work to demonstrate quantum benefit” of quantum computing.
Robert Hancock, Senior Principal Scientist, Dstl
Robert Hancock is a scientist in the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, where he serves in a number of roles, including Chief Scientist for the Communications and Networks Programme; he is also the lead for Dstl’s industry research into quantum communications. Prior to joining Dstl, he completed a PhD in particle physics, followed by nearly 30 years in industry, working in research, standardisation and product development for a variety of customers in the Defence, National Security and commercial sectors.
David Harvey, Chief Technical Consultant, Thales
David Harvey has over twenty years of experience working in defence research and has been with Thales since 2000 having worked for DERA/MOD prior to this. The majority of David's career has been in sensors, signal processing, mathematical modelling, algorithm development and systems engineering. David's main specialism is in sonar signal processing. David oversees Thales UK's activities in Quantum Technologies. David has a First Class MPhys degree in physics, is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and holds an Adjunct Fellowship with the University of Southampton.
Gillian Marshall, Senior QinetiQ Fellow, QinetiQ
Dr Marshall (D.Phil, University of Oxford. FIET, CEng) is a QinetiQ Senior Fellow with over 30 years’ experience on research programmes at QinetiQ and its predecessors. She is QinetiQ’s global capability lead for Quantum Technologies, and has extensive links within the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, including seats on the Technical Advisory Boards of the National Quantum Technology Programme’s Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub led by Oxford University, and the Prosperity Partnership project on Scalable Quantum Computing led by Strathclyde University.
Tim Rabbets, Chief Engineer, QinetiQ
Tim is chief engineer for systems engineering at QinetiQ and also a senior fellow. Outside of his work for QinetiQ he holds a RAEng visiting professorship in systems engineering at Loughborough University and is also active in the UK professional body for systems engineering, IfSE/INCOSE UK, and British Standards Institute.
Jamie Vovrosh, Quantum Sensing, PNT and Communications Lead, QinetiQ
Dr Jamie Vovrosh is quantum scientist, leading QinetiQ’s work developing solutions based on quantum technology. Focus areas include trials for Quantum Technologies, the development of data fusion algorithms for quantum enhanced navigation Quantum Technologies and the development of quantum communication systems. Prior to joining QinetiQ Jamie completed a PhD at the University of Southampton, studying the control and manipulation of levitated nanoparticles. Following this he worked at the University of Birmingham developing portable cold atom gravity gradiometers.
Paul Yates, Principal Specialist Consultant, L3Harris
Paul Yates MIET is an accomplished cyber security designer and architect with 30+ years’ experience in communications, in both industry and government roles. Paul is a Principal Specialist Consultant at L3Harris ICI and the technical lead for quantum research, with a focus on novel quantum-assisted deployed edge-comms architectures. Paul has a degree from the University of Kent.
References
16 Ministry of Defence’s Science and Technology Portfolio, 23rd January 2023, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-science-and-technology-programmes-and-projects
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