Too many leaders still see quantum technology as science fiction rather than science fact. But make no mistake: The quantum era is well underway.

Organizations are implementing advanced algorithms, known as post-quantum cryptography, to protect their systems and data from full-scale quantum computers that will be able to break current encryption methods. Certain types of quantum sensors are already functional while others are still in development. In the face of these breakthroughs, government and industry must act now to maximize quantum’s potential and mitigate its risks.

Booz Allen is drawing on decades of expertise in cybersecurity, engineering, and advanced manufacturing and computing to turn quantum science into practical technology for government and industry. Our quantum scientists are shoring up defenses against the security risks quantum computers pose and working across the full range of the quantum tech stack to deploy quantum solutions in strategic U.S. missions.

Here are four ways Booz Allen is building and applying quantum technology to strengthen security, enable scientific breakthroughs, and advance U.S. leadership in this critical field.

Much of the encryption used to secure online banking, health records, government communications, and America’s critical infrastructure relies on math that classical computers cannot easily solve. Quantum computers will be able to perform fundamentally different types of calculations, making them powerful enough to crack previously “unbreakable” cryptographic algorithms.

Adversaries are acting on that vulnerability by collecting encrypted information today, in order to decode it once quantum computers mature. Data that must remain confidential for decades, like classified military secrets or proprietary business information, is particularly at risk.

That’s where post-quantum cryptography (PQC) comes in. This advanced encryption approach uses new algorithms that are designed to withstand future quantum-enabled attacks. A recent executive order requires federal agencies to upgrade critical systems to quantum-resistant encryption by the end of 2030. Booz Allen is at the forefront of this work. We’re helping agencies audit systems to uncover vulnerabilities, test new post-quantum encryption methods, and plan a phased transition to quantum-safe security before the threat becomes a reality.

Our engineers are building detailed inventories of where encryption is used and identifying which information requires the strongest long-term protection. And they are working with customers to implement mitigation strategies that enable cryptographic agility: a system’s ability to seamlessly update and replace encryption without disrupting standard operations.

The same sensitivity that makes quantum computers difficult to build makes quantum sensors exceptionally powerful. Because atoms and other particles respond to extremely small changes in their environment, devices built around them can measure signals and conditions that traditional instruments miss.

Different quantum sensors can reveal different aspects of the physical world. Radio-frequency sensors can detect faint or distant signals. Gravimeters measure tiny variations in Earth’s gravitational field that can help map underground structures or geological formations. Magnetometers detect small changes in magnetic fields that can support navigation, deep-sea exploration, and other missions. Together, these technologies could extend the range and precision of existing tools, particularly in places where collecting reliable information is difficult, such as deep underground or at the bottom of the ocean.

Booz Allen is developing software, tools, and solutions to move these sensors from controlled laboratories into real-world environments. Our teams are also evaluating new hardware, simulating how it would perform, and helping organizations determine where greater sensitivity would make a difference. Rather than applying one sensor everywhere, the work focuses on matching each technology to specific needs across defense, space, and civilian missions.

GPS helps guide ships, aircraft, and vehicles, supports emergency response, and supplies the precise timing used by communications networks, financial systems, and critical infrastructure. But GPS signals don’t travel well underwater or underground, and can be jammed or disrupted by an adversary.

When GPS is unavailable, these systems can use accelerometers and gyroscopes to calculate their location based on their movements from a known starting point. The problem is that small errors accumulate, causing the estimated position to become less accurate over time.

Quantum technology can help. Certain quantum sensors can extend reliable navigation by measuring movement with far greater precision. Quantum accelerometers can remain accurate about 10 times longer than conventional ones before needing to be recalibrated. More precise atomic clocks can help maintain precision navigation and timekeeping when unable to synchronize with GPS over long periods of time.

Booz Allen is simulating these technologies to integrate them into real missions and existing navigation systems. With the first quantum accelerometers and next-generation atomic clocks already available, we’re identifying emerging hardware that fits each agency and organization’s specific needs. That could mean setting new accuracy benchmarks for search and rescue, improving synchronization for a new generation of satellites, or developing procedures for adopting the technology as it advances.

Building a quantum processor is only part of creating a useful quantum computer. Qubits are the quantum equivalent of the bits used by conventional computers, but unlike bits, which represent either a 0 or a 1, qubits can exist in a combination of both states. Quantum computers require software and firmware that can tell qubits what to do, connect the quantum processor with conventional computers, and translate the results into usable information.

One of the biggest obstacles is error. Qubits are extremely fragile and can be disrupted by heat, magnetic fields, and other environmental noise. A useful quantum computer must detect and correct those errors continuously. That requires software that can control the machine precisely and combine many error-prone physical qubits into more dependable “logical qubits.”

Booz Allen is developing the algorithms, firmware, and control systems needed to address those challenges. Since future quantum machines will not replace traditional computers, the company is instead building the bridge between quantum and conventional computing. This approach emphasizes how the two types of systems will work together, with each handling the problems it is best equipped to solve.

By building this software layer now, Booz Allen can help agencies use quantum computers as they become available to address problems today’s computers cannot solve.