Summary - NATO STO Second Research Symposium on Quantum Technology for Defence and Security (IST-SET-226)

1. Background: Quantum Technologies (QTs) are developing rapidly in a number of areas with a world-wide surge in research and development (R&D), and investment. Although most of the R&D is at an early stage, global interest and technology trends are causing concerns for the defence and security sectors as some may have a profound impact. As a result, the Allied S&T community increased efforts towards gaining knowledge and understanding of the risks and opportunities of this Emerging and Disruptive Technology (EDT), organising the first edition of the Research Symposium on “Quantum Technology for Defence and Security” in 2023. In light of its success, the Allied S&T community agreed to organize a second edition.

2. Military relevance: Numerous reports have outlined the current surge in QT, often referred to as the second quantum revolution, and the ways in which it is unfolding. The Science and Technology Trends 2023-2043 report highlighted the significant impact this revolution is expected to have across a range of military capabilities, including sensors, communications and information assurance, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), computational power and information science.

3. Objectives: Technology integration and adaptation into systems need different areas of expertise to succeed. The goal of this event is fourfold:

First, to provide insight to the current State-Of-The-Art design and developments in quantum sensors (e.g. for imaging, PNT, RF), quantum communications, quantum computing hardware and software (e.g. operating systems, quantum algorithms) and how these technologies can be applied to real NATO operational problems. For example, to make the step from the known link between statistics and quantum physics; physics-inspired algorithms, to produce more effectively situation pictures and options for action. This contributes to military decision-making part of NATO capability INFORM.
Second, to identify, by quantitative system modelisation, the impact of current state of the art performances in quantum technologies on military capabilities of NATO forces, to provide insight to the integration and interoperability challenges for this new technology using a systems engineering holistic approach, and consequently to measure current gaps respect to what it would be actually needed to attain a distinctive tactical and/or strategic advantage in military operations. This will also allow to clearly filter out and to identify hypes and overclaims, which were also generated in few sectors, as well as to distinguish between short- and long-term reasonable expectations.
Third, to bring people from different scientific and technology areas together, with military staff, and with industry to generate ideas for potential interdisciplinary research and key NATO application areas.
Fourth, to share (intermediate) results from the different activities following the NATO Science & Technology Board (STB) Collaborative Programme of Work (CPoW) Challenge on QT

5. Registration: Online registration is mandatory via the Cvent site by 10 August 2026. Participation is open to nationals from NATO and Partner nations, including Australia, Austria*, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and Ukraine. Attendees will be required to show a valid ID card/passport on-site to access the event.

^{*Austrian nationals will be conditionally accepted until the approval process for their participation is concluded by the Science and Technology Board (STB), which is expected to conclude by end of July.}

6. Additional information

The event will be held at up to NATO UNCLASSIFIED.
A draft agenda will be shared with authors up to 3-months prior to the event, with a final agenda set to be uploaded to Cvent by early September. The RSY is expected to start at 09:00 and end at around 17:00.
Administrative instructions, including general information on the venue, hotel block bookings, catering, social events, etc., will be provided with the automatic Cvent email, once your registration is approved.

For technical questions, reach out to Chair-IST-SET-226-RSY@foi.se. For any other questions, reach out to IST@cso.nato.int / C5I@cso.nato.int, and and General-meeting@foi.se.