Quantum clock maker QuantXLabs strikes 12 with $2.7 million defence deal

Quantum sensors startup QuantX Labs has bagged a $2.7 million deal with the Australian government for optical atomic clocks for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Two contracts will enable partners in the defence pact AUKUS between Australia, the US and UK, to develop position navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities in precision navigation and timing in military capability.

Founded in 2016 by Andre Luiten, Adelaide-based QuantX Labs is a world-leader in high-precision timing and quantum sensors, partnering with Department of Defence and BAE Systems.

In May 2022, the SmartSAT CRC awarded $1 million to QuantX Labs for the development of its optical atomic clock as an orbiting satellite payload to give Australia
sovereign navigation and timing capability.

Precise timing in space is a fundamental building block for satellite navigation systems such as global positioning systems (GPS). The new technology behind the optical clock was created in the Precision Measurement Group at The University of Adelaide (UoA), and developed into a product in a collaboration between QuantX Labs, UoA, and the SmartSat CRC Aurora Space Cluster startup incubator.

The optical atomic clock for the ADF is part of a mobile test and measurement system, to be delivered in early 2025.

The ADF will use the quantum clock to test and evaluate timing in critical defence hardware, like communication and navigation systems, to determine operational resilience in GPS- degraded environments.

Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro said investing in next generation atomic clocks supports the commitment of Defence to innovation priorities outlined in the National Defence Strategy.

“Defence will increasingly leverage emerging disruptive technologies such as quantum to provide a capability edge for the warfighter,” she said.

The state-of-the-art portable atomic clocks are the result of over seven years of research and development, initially at the Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing at The University of Adelaide, in close partnership with Defence.

“This is the first sale for QuantX Labs and a prime example of the collaborative relationships needed to transition leading-edge sovereign research into advanced operational capabilities for the Australian Defence Force”, Prof Monro said.