The autonomous uncrewed Royal Navy submarine XV Excalibur has been used to test a quantum optical atomic clock for the first time.
The extra-large uncrewed underwater vessel (XLUUV) developed by MSubs has been carrying Infleqtion’s Tiqker clock on a series of sea trials, as per a recent RN press statement.
The device is a means of providing super-accurate timing to underwater assets which do not have the luxury of relying wholly on GPS signals for precise timekeeping and navigation. By reducing dependence on external signals with quantum technology, submarines can stay hidden for longer while maintaining location and timing data they can rely on.
Deputy Director of Underwater Battlespace Capability Commodore Marcus Rose commented: “This trial is a significant milestone in the development of XLUUV capabilities in the Royal Navy.
“It demonstrates the ability to rapidly develop and integrate payloads into uncrewed host platforms, which is essential for ensuring the Royal Navy can respond to, and get ahead of, adversary capabilities.”
Head of Futures in the RN’s Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office Commander Matthew Steele added: “This experiment was a first critical step towards understanding how quantum clocks can be deployed on underwater platforms to enable precision navigation and timing (PNT) in support of prolonged operations.
“The DCTO looks forward to championing further trials of quantum-based navigation technologies.”
U.K. General Manager at Infleqtion Ryan Hanley commented: “By putting Tiqker directly on the Royal Navy’s Excalibur testbed submarine, a next-generation autonomous platform, we are laying the foundation for fleets to navigate, coordinate, and operate with precision in any environment.
“We are grateful to the Royal Navy for their continued partnership on cutting-edge quantum technology trials accelerating adoption into naval operations.”
And MSubs Engineering Director Matthew Troughton noted: “Integrating a quantum clock onto Excalibur demonstrates how advanced timing can redefine what autonomous submarines are capable of… This trial points the way to platforms that can operate independently for longer durations, with the precision and reliability needed for future undersea missions.”
Highly accurate timing is critical to submarines in a number of ways. As well as helping provide accurate positional data, it acts as a vital reference for other important systems and processes including sonar, fire control, and even communications.
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website