Quantum Encryption and the Future of Warfare -- Why the Best and Brightest Should Be Fast-Tracked

It's funny how our minds work. I was reading a document about the impact of quantum technologies on the future of warfare and it triggered a different topic that I have been intending to write about.

The document dealt with a number of military applications of quantum physics, one of which was quantum encryption. 

John Nagy, in his book Invisible Ink, which is about the use of secret codes and messaging during the Revolutionary War--yes, spy games have been part of our history from the beginning--begins by describing some of the techniques for encoding messages back through history. In fact, there's evidence of secret codes and ciphers as far back as Ancient Egypt and even Sumeria.

Well, as anyone who follows the tech scene knows, encryption is a very big deal today. What's wild is how sophisticated the game has become now that quantum physics has been married to encryption. In the future it will almost certainly have an impact on warfare. Quantum radars, for example, could make traditional stealth and jamming techniques obsolete. 

Quantum-based encryption, communication, and computing are expected to revolutionize how information is processed and exchanged by greatly enhancing computing power and security. This could make intelligence gathering more challenging, but it also means that the infrastructure supporting these technologies becomes a prime target for enemy attacks. 

China appears to be at the forefront of this technology with cutting-edge research programs and advanced satellites in orbit. Other countries, however, are also involved in this competition, and the outcome will have significant consequences in the coming decades.

When I read some of the ways these advanced technologies work it is mind-blowing. The purpose of encryption is secure transmission of information that cannot be intercepted. That is, others can't crack the code. Alan Turing's cracking of the German's Enigma machine code is one of two fascinating stories from WW2 about code breaking. The United States came up with the Navajo Code Talkers as a communications method to foil the Japanese on the Pacific front. The future is going into a realm we can hardly imagine.

Here's a paragraph describing how quantum encryption works. 

The fundamental point is that sub-atomic particles can be influenced so that they take on one of two different states. When the particle is observed, it takes only one of them. But when it is not observed, it exists in a particular condition called ‘superposition,’ meaning that its status is a combination of the two. Or in other words: it holds both statuses at once. The simple acts of observing it will end the superposition and force the particle into taking on one of its two possible states. Another peculiar and counter-intuitive property of quantum physics is that two particles can be ‘linked’ so that they take on and preserve the same state, even if they are considerably distant from one from the other. This is a phenomenon known as ‘entanglement.’ 

These innate properties can be exploited to store, carry, and deliver information – all in a perfectly secure manner, thanks to a process called quantum key distribution (QKD). Everything starts with the generation of a pair of ‘keys’ encrypted using entangled photons. These keys are employed to cypher the transmitted message and then convert it back into a readable form. In practice, this is achieved by transmitting the photons (and the information they carry) in the form of a laser beam.

Now if this doesn't just blow your mind... What blows mine is how in the world did they come up with this? First they had to discover the character and behavior of sub-atomic particles, and then how to control them to accomplish the purposes they envision. 

The information here comes from a document titled Warfare Evolved: Disruptive Military Technologies and their Geopolitical Implications. Among other things, it also discusses hypersonic missiles, quantum radar and drone swarms.

The people working on these kinds of projects are not your ordinary run-of-the-mill kids who doing the things all the other kids in the neighborhood do. Advanced technologies are touching every facet of our lives. The question on my mind is whether our high schools and institutions of higher learning can deliver what it takes to remain leaders in the increasing complicated, and often marvelous, world. 

When I read stories about schools wanting to eliminate advanced classes to fast-track students motivated by learning, I get concerned. The best and brightest need the opportunity to pursue their educational aims unfettered. One's placement in math classes at our universities corresponds to whatever level they have achieved previous to that point. The further these kids go in high school, the greater the odds of their continuing to climb at a rate that enables them to achieve their full potential.

If the goal of our schools is to educate, let's not stand in the way with stupid policies. Reading, writing and 'rithmetic are still foundational, and essential to a successful career whether it's quantum physics or creating a small business.  

As always, much more can be said. Just sowing seeds here.