A quantum computer for ETH Zurich funded by F-35 compensation deals

ETH Zurich will receive a quantum computer built by the American company IBM. The funding, however, will come from another US company: Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35 fighter jets purchased by Switzerland.

The deal is part of the industrial offsets required under the contract for the fighter jets. Lockheed Martin has committed to generating business in Switzerland worth at least 60% of the purchase contract, equivalent to about 3 billion dollars according to the Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse). Financing the quantum computer is being counted toward that commitment.

According to ETH, the infrastructure will be among the most advanced of its kind in the world. ETH spokesperson Markus Gross describes it as giving Switzerland privileged access to cutting-edge quantum technology. The computer is expected to start operating by the end of the year at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) in Lugano, which also hosts the national supercomputer.

Unlike conventional computers, which process information using bits valued at 0 or 1, quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once. The technology is still in its early stages, but it holds the promise of solving highly complex problems in future and challenging current encryption systems.

The army is watching the technology too

Armasuisse's approval of the project as an offset shows the army's interest in quantum computing. The Federal Office for Defence Procurement says the initiative will strengthen Swiss expertise in the field, with possible future benefits for cybersecurity and cryptography.

ETH rules out any direct military use, however: its spokesperson says the computer will only be used for basic research. Lockheed Martin, for its part, will also use its collaboration with IBM to develop new navigation technology based on quantum systems.

The exact figures involved have not been disclosed, a lack of transparency that is far from unusual for such deals, according to Thomas Friedli, an economist at the University of St. Gallen. Armasuisse also applies multipliers of up to three for projects deemed strategic, meaning one dollar invested can be counted as up to three dollars of compensation.

Overall, according to Armasuisse estimates, these offset projects add around 700 to 800 million francs to the cost of the F-35 purchase. Part of these funds also finances research into nanotechnology and synthetic aviation fuels.