British engineering has once again pushed the boundaries of what is possible on the modern battlefield, as the Royal Navy has completed a groundbreaking series of trials combining quantum technology with military radar systems, for the first time anywhere in the world.
The trials, announced on 14 August, were carried out by the Navy’s Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office, working alongside defence firm SAAB and British quantum specialists Aquark Technologies.
Together, they set out to test the AQlock, a cold atom clock developed by Aquark, and to prove what it could offer when paired with cutting-edge radar systems.
A Clock Unlike Any Other
Unlike conventional systems, which rely on satellite signals for precise timing, the AQlock works on an entirely different principle. Atoms inside the device are cooled to extremely low temperatures, and any changes are detected by comparing the clock’s frequency against those atoms, delivering timing accuracy of remarkable precision, without ever needing to talk to a satellite.
That independence matters enormously for defence. Satellite navigation systems, while indispensable, can be vulnerable to jamming or spoofing by hostile actors. A clock that does not depend on them offers a level of resilience that could prove decisive in future conflicts.
From Sea Trials to Radar Integration
The AQlock is no stranger to real-world testing. It already spent three days at sea last year aboard HMS Pursuer, proving its worth in genuine maritime conditions. This latest round of trials took things further, pairing the clock with Saab’s Giraffe 1X radar systems at sites operated by Saab and Qinetiq. The Royal Navy’s own experimentation vessel, XV Patrick Blackett, along with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, played their part too, acting as network rebroadcast nodes to help tie the whole system together.
Aquark Technologies supplied two of its quantum atomic clocks to separate locations, which then fed timing information directly to the radar system on Portsdown Hill, information that would normally come from traditional satellite navigation.
Standing Firm Against Interference
In a particularly telling part of the trial, the team deliberately simulated the kind of spoofing and jamming attacks that hostile forces might use to disrupt navigation systems. The Giraffe 1X radar operators, working across a network of specialist software and hardware, were able to spot these manipulations as they happened, including attempts to deliberately misalign timestamps within the system.
It is exactly this kind of resilience, the ability to detect and see through interference, that makes the technology so promising for the armed forces of the future.
A Proud Moment for British Innovation
The significance of the achievement was not lost on those involved. Matthew Aldous, Timing Lead at Aquark Technologies, called the trial a milestone in the development of Britain’s sovereign quantum technology, and the first known instance of a pair of British-built cold atom systems being deployed to meet a genuine defence requirement. He said the team was proud to have worked alongside Saab and the Royal Navy to make it happen.
Andy Fraser Moore, Group Managing Director at Saab UK, echoed that pride, describing the trial as a clear example of how collaboration can accelerate innovation. By bringing together quantum timing technology with Saab’s advanced radar system, he said, the partnership had demonstrated a practical capability that could help operators keep functioning effectively when it matters most.
A Sign of Things to Come
With Saab, Qinetiq, Dstl, Aquark Technologies, and the Royal Navy all contributing to this milestone, the trials stand as a powerful example of British defence innovation at its best, homegrown technology, developed and tested on home soil, and already proving its worth against the very real threats facing modern naval operations. As the Royal Navy continues to explore how quantum technology can strengthen the resilience of its systems, this achievement marks a confident step towards a more secure and self-reliant future for Britain’s armed forces.
