Quantum Navigation

[Foxbat]

I was reading up on the build progress of the Royal Navy’s new type 26 Frigates when I came across a reference to Quantum Navigation Systems, so I did a little digging and here’s what I found.

It works by using what’s called a Quantum Accelerator. It comprises of a chamber used to cool and store a cloud of Rubidium-87 atoms. At such a cool temperature, the effect of gravity upon them can be measured and this can be used to give a very accurate location by measuring speed and direction.

What’s really interesting is that, right now, navigation can be done by chart or by satellite based GPS. This makes attacking satellites a quite attractive opening move in any future war. Destroy the satellites and you effectively blind your opponent. Quantum navigation doesn’t need satellites and so any nation developing such a system effectively immunises its forces from reliance on GPS. Furthermore, submerged submarines can’t use GPS. Quantum navigation could make any hunter-killer sub an even more dangerous foe.

It becomes very obvious that any country that can successfully harness this tech can achieve a large advantage over any potential enemies who have not developed the system.

Here’s an article I found that explains it in terms ordinary folk like me can understand.

Royal Navy's experimental ship carries out first trial of quantum navigation system

The technology could help ships and submarines navigate the globe more accurately than ever before.

news.sky.com

 

[mosaix]

I'm surprised that there are articles about it and that it isn't top secret.

 

[Wayne Mack]

I'm surprised that there are articles about it and that it isn't top secret.

Ever read Fail Safe? Keeping a weapon secret negates its preventive use.

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

I was reading up on the build progress of the Royal Navy’s new type 26 Frigates when I came across a reference to Quantum Navigation Systems, so I did a little digging and here’s what I found.

It works by using what’s called a Quantum Accelerator. It comprises of a chamber used to cool and store a cloud of Rubidium-87 atoms. At such a cool temperature, the effect of gravity upon them can be measured and this can be used to give a very accurate location by measuring speed and direction.

What’s really interesting is that, right now, navigation can be done by chart or by satellite based GPS. This makes attacking satellites a quite attractive opening move in any future war. Destroy the satellites and you effectively blind your opponent. Quantum navigation doesn’t need satellites and so any nation developing such a system effectively immunises its forces from reliance on GPS. Furthermore, submerged submarines can’t use GPS. Quantum navigation could make any hunter-killer sub an even more dangerous foe.

It becomes very obvious that any country that can successfully harness this tech can achieve a large advantage over any potential enemies who have not developed the system.

Here’s an article I found that explains it in terms ordinary folk like me can understand.

Royal Navy's experimental ship carries out first trial of quantum navigation system

The technology could help ships and submarines navigate the globe more accurately than ever before.

news.sky.com

More MAD stuff (Mutually Assured Destruction). Only a few countries have the capacity to attack satellites effectively. Space (even near earth orbit) is very, very big and satellites are quite tiny by comparison and move very, very fast (17,000 mph is typical).

By the time countries are attacking each other's satellites the precise location of a destroyer will be very low on the priority list. Remembering the password to the key lock to the fallout shelter will be much higher on the list.

 

[Ursa major]

Are fallout shelters where one hides when satellites are falling out of the shy...?

 

[AllanR]

I'm surprised that there are articles about it and that it isn't top secret.

The Redacted Articles theory posits that one of the ways the Soviet Union knew about the USA's atomic bomb program was by the sudden absense of nuclear physics articles being published in scientific journals.