Govt buys UK’s first-ever quantum computer in ‘milestone moment’ for Ministry of Defence

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A Cambridge-based start-up aiming to rival chip designer Arm said it has made a significant breakthrough that could accelerate the development of quantum computers.
Cambridge-based Riverlane said it has made a breakthrough that could accelerate the development of quantum computers. (Getty Images)

The Government’s first quantum computer has been acquired by the Ministry of Defence.

The machines are able to rapidly make highly complex calculations that cannot be done by regular computers.

The BBC said the ministry will work with London-based firm Orca Computing on applying the computers to defence applications.

It marked a “milestone moment”, according to Stephen Till of the ministry’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DTSL).

Most computers process data in bits, which have a binary value of either zero or one, whereas quantum computers use a two-state unit for data processing called a qubit.