The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is advancing quantum technology for military applications, including more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools under development. These tools aim to enhance front-line mapping and gather high-value military intelligence from public cyberspace.
According to the official newspaper Science and Technology Daily, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has stated that more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools are “under development”, with many being “tested in front-line missions”. The project is led by a supercomputing laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology, focusing on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology.
Commanders hope that quantum computing will allow them to process large amounts of battlefield data within seconds, helping to make decisions and allocate resources. Quantum sensing and positioning technologies could improve air defences by detecting stealth aircraft that conventional radar systems may miss. The technology could also be used to create highly accurate navigation systems resistant to spoofing or jamming.
An unnamed officer told the newspaper that “speed and change” were the main considerations in developing new cyber weapons.
The report highlights that China’s military is using quantum technology to gather high-value military intelligence from public cyberspace. This work aims to provide better front-line mapping capabilities. Keywords include cloud computing, Science and Technology Daily, cybersecurity, quantum sensing, National University of Defence Technology, stealth aircraft, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, supercomputing, quantum computing, Liu Wei, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Information Support Force.