Zapata Computing, L3Harris Partner to Explore Quantum Computing Solutions for DOD

Reading time ( words)

Zapata Computing, the software company building solutions to enterprises’ most computationally complex problems, announced that it has delivered 30 quantum computing challenge scenarios to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency alongside L3Harris and several other industry leaders. The scenarios will help determine potential quantum computing benefits across defense, chemistry, finance, machine learning and other areas.

As part of their $7.3 million contract with DARPA, Zapata and L3Harris are developing benchmarks that will guide the practical application of quantum computing and how it can support broader industry applications. The program will measure progress toward specific quantum computing challenges, such as creating new materials, simulating fluid dynamics, real-time machine learning, and engineering design optimization.

“For Zapata, this program is an opportunity to apply our quantum expertise to gain genuine insights about the practical utility of quantum computing in any time horizon,” said Yudong Cao, CTO and Co-founder of Zapata Computing. “Another asset that we are leveraging at Zapata is our experience in working with enterprise clients in the past years to discover and develop quantum use cases that are catered to the unique demands of each industry.”

The project creates benchmarks from real-world computational challenges. These benchmarks establish standards against which quantum hardware can be compared to attain the specific performance levels needed to solve complex, next-generation problems. These estimates will help the Department of Defense (DOD) harness the utility of quantum computers by providing a roadmap for how quantum technology can be utilized.

“Our quantum technology portfolio provides an exponential leap in innovation and performance over existing defense technologies,” said Chris Dorny, Head of Quantum Technology, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “We look forward to supporting DARPA in this pioneering effort to determine how, and when, our warfighters can best benefit from quantum computing.”

02/14/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

House Resolution 7677 from the 2021/22 Congressional session may have run out of time before the election cycle, but that hasn’t ended the effort to help fund the printed circuit board industry alongside the semiconductor industry. IPC vice president of global government relations, Chris Mitchell, shared this letter, sent to DOD on Wednesday by Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Blake Moore (R-UT), which insists DOD must “leverage all available resources, including the use of Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA), to increase domestic production of PCBs and IC substrates.”

12/29/2021 | Georgia Tech

Department of Defense grant enables collaboration with Spelman College, Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Economic Development in pilot project

12/13/2021 | Chris Peters, USPAE

Like a cancer that spreads untreated until it becomes an urgent problem, the U.S. defense community is facing a small but growing problem that is increasingly undermining U.S. military readiness and technological dominance. The problem is lead—specifically, the lead-alloy solders that traditionally have been used to attach electronic components to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Over the last 15 years, the commercial electronics industry has shifted to lead-free solders, prompted by environmental health regulations in Europe and elsewhere. However, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its contractors never made the switch and are still heavily reliant on leaded solders. Now, leaded electronics are becoming harder to find and more outdated.