NATO published a public summary of its first Quantum Technology Roadmap on September 29, 2026, with dated activities through 2029 in quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. Allies approved the plan on July 30 “to accelerate the understanding, adoption and integration of quantum technologies across NATO and Allied armed forces,” NATO said in its announcement.
One dated activity is a pilot of post-quantum cryptography (PQC), encryption designed to resist attacks by quantum computers. It will run between NATO Headquarters in Brussels and the Alliance’s military headquarters in Mons, Belgium, known as Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). NATO set the fourth quarter of 2027 for the pilot, named the Quantum Zero Beacon Project (QZBP).
In the roadmap’s public summary, NATO dated the pilot but gave no deadline for moving its own systems to PQC. It listed the adoption of PQC standards as ongoing. In a January 2024 summary of its quantum strategy, NATO named as a desired outcome that “NATO has transitioned its cryptographic systems to quantum-safe cryptography,” also without a date.
The Quantum Zero Beacon pilot
Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT), in Norfolk, Virginia, published a procurement notice on September 4 seeking contractor support for QZBP. HQ SACT wrote that it is seeking a contractor able to deliver, within one year, “a limited-scale quantum-safe cryptography deployment within NATO operational networks,” built on mature PQC solutions.
According to HQ SACT, the project will support “broader NATO adoption of quantum-safe cryptography before 2030.” It also wrote that the notice “does not constitute a commitment to award a contract.”
HQ SACT estimated the value of the contract at €8 million for a 12-month base period. The contractor is to work at NATO Headquarters, SHAPE, the NATO Communications and Information Agency in The Hague, and possibly its own facility.
Only vendors from NATO member nations may take part. HQ SACT required bidders, including consortium partners and subcontractors, to have a valid NATO SECRET facility security clearance.
HQ SACT planned to release the request for proposals on September 28 and close bidding on November 2. It expected to award the contract on November 30.
Sea trials, studies, and standards
NATO scheduled QUESTOR sea trials for 2026 and 2027 with its Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in La Spezia, Italy. In the trials, CMRE tests quantum sensors for positioning, navigation, and timing where satellite signals are unavailable. CMRE and the industry network of NATO’s Transatlantic Quantum Community (TQC) ran an experimentation campaign, Questor 26, in La Spezia in early September, NATO said.
On cryptography, a NATO Industrial Advisory Group study of industry readiness for quantum-resistant cryptography is scheduled for the second quarter of 2027. The next update of the Alliance’s action plan on the quantum threat to cryptography is due in the third quarter of 2027.
NATO also set the fourth quarter of 2027 for a concept for an “Allied Quantum Computing Access Network” and the third quarter of 2029 for an Alliance quantum standards roadmap led by its Science and Technology Organization. NATO said it had selected certain activities for public release. It described a phased approach, from identification and experimentation toward capability development and operational adoption.
The Transatlantic Quantum Community
The TQC, an informal group of quantum experts from government, industry, academia, and research institutions, met in Washington, D.C., on September 24–25. NATO said Belgium and Bulgaria had joined 22 other Allies and six partner nations in the community.
The Netherlands has chaired the TQC since May 12, 2026, with Canada as vice-chair. NATO said in May that the TQC Industry Network included more than 240 participants from 17 Allied nations and three partner countries.
