Workshops Government Sovereign Quantum Capability Assessment

Government Half Day Briefing

Sovereign Quantum Capability Assessment

This briefing provides national security advisors and defence planners with a structured framework for assessing sovereign quantum capability across research, industry, and defence dimensions.

Half day (3 hours)

In person or online

Max 30 delegates

Commission This Briefing View Agenda

Proud to recommend our expert members

Briefing Description

"Sovereign quantum capability" is a phrase used frequently in policy documents but rarely defined with precision. Does it mean the ability to build a quantum computer from domestically sourced components? The ability to deploy quantum-resistant cryptography without foreign dependencies? The ability to conduct quantum-enhanced intelligence operations? The answer determines where a nation should invest, and getting it wrong means spending billions on capabilities that do not address the strategic need. Most nations cannot achieve full-stack sovereignty. The practical question is which capabilities must be sovereign, which can be sourced from trusted allies, and which can be procured commercially.

This briefing introduces a capability maturity assessment framework covering three dimensions: research (university and national lab output), industrial (hardware manufacturing, software platforms, supply chain depth), and defence (classification-compatible systems, quantum-resistant infrastructure, quantum sensing). It identifies the critical supply chain nodes where sole-source dependencies create strategic vulnerability, assesses talent pipeline health with specific metrics, and evaluates the policy levers available to accelerate capability without duplicating allied investment. The framework is designed to produce actionable intelligence assessments, not academic surveys.

What participants cover

Capability maturity framework: research, industrial, and defence dimensions with specific assessment criteria and evidence requirements
Critical supply chain dependencies: dilution refrigerators, superconducting qubit fabrication, trapped-ion laser systems, and single-photon detectors; sole-source risk analysis
Talent pipeline assessment: PhD output, post-doctoral retention, industry absorption rates, and the salary differential driving brain drain from research to industry
Defence-specific capability: classification-compatible quantum systems, quantum-resistant communications for military networks, and quantum sensing for ISR applications
Policy levers: immigration, defence procurement, investment screening, and the evidence on which interventions produce capability versus which produce only spending
Allied capability sharing: which capabilities to develop sovereignly, which to source from Five Eyes or NATO allies, and the trust frameworks required for shared quantum infrastructure

Preliminary Agenda

Half-day briefing structure. Content is configurable to your nation's current quantum programme, alliance commitments, and strategic priorities.

#	Session	Topics
1	What "Sovereign Quantum Capability" Means in Practice Defining the capability dimensions that matter for national security
2	Capability Maturity Assessment Framework A structured model for evaluating national quantum readiness	Research capability: university output, national lab capacity, publication quality versus quantity, and the gap between academic results and deployable technology Industrial capability: quantum hardware manufacturers, software platform companies, quantum-as-a-service providers, and the depth of the domestic supply chain from cryogenics to control electronics Defence and intelligence capability: classification-compatible quantum systems, quantum-resistant communications infrastructure, and quantum sensing for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance)
Break, after 50 min
3	Supply Chain Dependencies and Talent Pipeline Where sovereign capability is constrained by external dependencies	Critical supply chain nodes: dilution refrigerators (Bluefors, Oxford Instruments), superconducting qubit fabrication, trapped-ion laser systems, and single-photon detectors; which components are sole-source Talent pipeline: PhD output by nation, post-doctoral retention rates, industry absorption, and the salary gap between quantum research and quantum industry that drives brain drain Policy levers: immigration fast-tracks, defence investment spillover, procurement preferences, and the evidence on which interventions actually accelerate sovereign capability
4	Discussion and Next Steps

Designed and Delivered By

Briefings are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with defence and intelligence specialists. All facilitators have direct experience in both quantum technologies and national security capability assessment.

QSECDEF brings world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our advisory membership spans 600+ organisations and 1,200+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.

Sovereign capability briefings are co-delivered with defence and intelligence specialists who have direct experience in national technology assessment and capability planning. This ensures content is grounded in the realities of defence procurement and national security decision-making.

Commission This Briefing

Sessions are configured around your nation's current quantum programme, alliance commitments, and strategic priorities. Get in touch to discuss requirements and schedule a date.

Government Workshops All Consulting Services All Workshops