The new defence-specific plan follows a National Quantum Strategy published in March 2023. 

A new “ambitious and sovereign” quantum strategy was unveiled by Minister of the Armed Forces of France, Sébastien Lecornu, on 10 June. 

Speaking at the France Quantum forum, Lecornu said that “in military matters in particular, [quantum computing] will be a serious shock”.  

The primary component of the strategy involves plans to build a new quantum campus spanning across several sites, with at least one set to be operational by 2027. It will be a joint effort bringing together the Directorate General for Armaments, the intelligence community and armed forces, according to the armed forces press statement.  

The campus will invite domestic defence industry, investors, international partners, and participants from other sectors to support the initiative.  

In addition, the Defence Innovation Agency will create a new dedicated laboratory for quantum computing this year. The laboratory aims to identify new quantum computing capabilities, conduct proof of concepts, and facilitate research with partners. It also aims to keep future French-made platforms competitive in the face of a potential quantum-enabled adversary.  

The strategy comes at a crucial time for the armed forces, which is deciding the successors to its aircraft carriers and fighter aircraft: “If we fall too far behind on quantum sensors, we will develop combat platforms for the 2040s, 2050s and 2060s, which will not have these sensors on board incrementally… what matters now is that we accelerate”, Lecornu emphasised. 

Placing sovereign capability at the core of French quantum efforts 

Sovereign capability is not a novel concept for France; the country has a significant defence industrial base, exporting its domestically developed defence equipment globally, solidifying its position as the World’s second-largest defence exporter after the US.    

France, in particular, has been championing the development of quantum technology for several years now to stay ahead of its adversaries, as the technology is expected to revolutionise defence. This quantum strategy, including the campus, aims to accelerate this development and ensure France positions itself at the front of this digital revolution.  

DSEI Gateway News is part of DSEI UK and the broader Clarion Defence portfolio. 
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