Royal Navy Tests Out Quantum Timing Aboard Unmanned Sub

The Royal Navy has tested out a quantum atomic clock aboard an uncrewed submarine, marking the first time such technology has operated underwater at sea and potentially reshaping how submarines navigate in the depths.

The trial placed Infleqtion's Tiqker quantum optical atomic clock aboard the XV Excalibur, an extra-large autonomous underwater vessel that serves as a testing platform for emerging technologies. The experiment, conducted in partnership with the Submarine Delivery Agency's Autonomy Unit, could address one of submarines' most persistent challenges: maintaining precise navigation while remaining hidden beneath the waves.

Submarines face a fundamental problem that surface vessels do not. Cut off from GPS signals underwater, they have long relied on microwave-based clocks that gradually lose accuracy over extended missions. That drift can compromise inertial navigation, which requires precision timing.

The quantum clock offers a potential solution. By providing what engineers call a "time heartbeat" with laboratory-grade precision, the device can help submarines compensate for the navigational drift that accumulates during long underwater operations, allowing them to remain submerged for longer periods.

"This trial is a significant milestone in the development of extra large uncrewed underwater vehicle capabilities in the Royal Navy," said Commodore Marcus Rose, deputy director of underwater battlespace capability.

The implications extend beyond navigation. Precision timing affects other submarine systems too, including sonar, weapons targeting and secure communications.

According to the Royal Navy, the device proved reliable through multiple dive cycles in a replication of real-world sub operations. "We are laying the foundation for fleets to navigate, coordinate and operate with precision in any environment," said Ryan Hanley, Infleqtion's general manager for the United Kingdom. The service plans additional quantum timing trials aboard the Excalibur.

The test reflects the Royal Navy's broader push to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies, including autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. Constrained by budget and recruitment limits, it seeks to cut costs, reduce manpower requirements, and enhance fleet capabilities through technological solutions - all more rapidly than traditional procurement allows.