Pentagon’s quantum strategy ‘a first step’ in preparing for the future, CIO says

The Pentagon’s new strategy for defending against quantum computers will ensure “the integrity of our systems for decades to come,” its IT lead said Wednesday, but network modernization “is only a first step” in readying the U.S. military for the threat. 

Speaking at the SAP NOW summit in Washington, D.C., Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies said the Defense Department’s new guidance for “accelerating our adoption of post-quantum cryptography” will mitigate the danger. 

The strategy was released on Tuesday, one day after President Donald Trump signed two executive orders meant to hasten domestic development of quantum capabilities and ward off threats to federal agencies’ cryptographic security systems.

The strategy outlines five “major lines-of-effort”: centralize department governance, scan for vulnerabilities and develop a migration framework, develop post-quantum cryptographic algorithms and protocols, integrate secure commercial products into department operations, and deploy quantum-resistant devices. 

It also sets deadlines: all Pentagon systems must support post-quantum cryptography “or be phased out” by the end of 2030, with all systems supporting new standards by the end of 2031 “unless otherwise noted.”

Davies said these steps are just part of the department’s need to “ensure the national security infrastructure and the complex supply chains that underpin every mission are robust and ready in an increasingly unpredictable world.”

Other steps include better adoption of new technologies. Davies said the department is “unlocking the full potential of data and artificial intelligence” to improve its operations. 

‘We’re transforming information into decision dominance, automating complex logistical challenges, predicting supply chain bottlenecks before they happen and ensuring our commanders and the warfighters have the intelligence they need at the speed of relevance,” she said.

The Pentagon has also been trying to attract skilled cyber-defense workers. In April, the department announced a Cyber Registered Apprenticeship Program that emphasizes skills-based hiring over educational backgrounds, something the Trump administration has pushed for. The pilot is set to launch in July. Davies said the program “has already generated more than 70,000 inquiries.”

“By breaking down silos across industry and the federal enterprise, by reinvigorating our vital supply chains, by harnessing the power of innovation and unleashing the unmatched talents of the American workforce, we will dominate the digital frontier,” she said.