As quantum technology rapidly develops, use cases are being tested to see how the novel research can make real impacts in society.

One such use case could support the British Armed Forces, keen to gain any international advantage available from new technologies.

The Royal Navy has tested ‘cold atom’ technology developed by Southampton quantum startup Aquark for use in covert monitoring at sea.

The trial was conducted by the startup and the Office of the Chief of Technology Officer (OCTO) for the Royal Navy on its HMS Pursuer vessel.

Aquark has been researching cold atom technology for a variety of uses, notably in the form of a cold atom clock – a tool to precisely measure time by cooling atoms to near absolute zero.

The startup said it successfully captured cold atoms continuously throughout every test and at all locations on the naval ship.

“With this latest trial of our technology at sea with the Royal Navy, we are continuing to show the real-life applications of our technology after our successful flight of the first cold atom device on a drone,” said Aquark Technologies co-Founder and CEO, Andrei Dragomir.

“The completion of this trial marks an encouraging milestone for the future of quantum technologies.”

The trial was conducted in various realistic operating states, manoeuvres and key locations on the vessel.

“Quantum technologies being developed in the UK will offer an alternative Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capability necessary to operate effectively in GPS-denied and degraded environments,” said Commander Matthew Steele, future technology lead for OCTO.

“Over the next 3 years, the RN seeks to accelerate the development of quantum technologies – such as AQUARK’s – through funding and sea trials, to secure the RN an opportunity to invest in a non-GPS-based PNT capability and to maintain its global operating advantage.”

In May, Aquark secured a £3.4m contract from the government-owned Innovate UK to develop a high-performance cold atom clock.

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