Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) says its quantum portfolio is already being used in federal missions, as U.S. security rules set deadlines for quantum-resistant systems.
The National Security Agency (NSA) says new commercial national security systems must be capable of supporting quantum-resistant algorithms starting in 2027. Legacy systems that cannot support them are to be phased out by 2030.
In an Oct. 28 announcement, SAIC said the portfolio serves federal civil, space and military missions. It did not identify the agencies, programs or contracts involved, or provide deployment locations or measured results. The company said it spent more than two years investing in, engineering and testing the portfolio.
The offering includes quantum sensors, optimization algorithms, optical interconnects and work to move systems to post-quantum cryptography, according to SAIC. The company cited possible uses including positioning, navigation and timing without GPS, environmental and threat detection, and logistics and supply-chain optimization. SAIC said optimization tools could reduce costs but gave no estimate of potential savings.
SAIC’s quantum technology page lists Infleqtion as a partner. It estimates that classical-computer simulations of its quantum algorithms could improve computational performance by 100 to 1,000 times for hypersonic missile detection and response. The page does not describe a testing method.
SAIC Chief Scientist Dr. Chris Powell said, “We are removing the adoption risk for federal technology and mission leaders.” On Oct. 5, SAIC announced it had completed its acquisition of Information Security Corporation, which provides public-key infrastructure, encryption and credential-management software. SAIC did not disclose the acquisition’s financial terms.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) approved FIPS 203, 204 and 205 on Aug. 13, 2024. SAIC has not disclosed portfolio pricing, contract values or implementation costs.
