Defense Department (DOD) Chief Information Officer (CIO) Kristen Davies on June 23 unveiled a departmentwide post-quantum cryptography (PQC) strategy aimed at protecting military communications, data, and command-and-control systems from emerging quantum computing threats.
Under the Trump administration, the DOD was rebranded as the War Department.
The DOD PQC Strategy calls for deploying quantum-resistant cryptography across high-impact systems by 2030 and across the force by 2031, aligning with President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders on quantum technologies.
The executive orders signed by Trump on June 22 aim to accelerate U.S. quantum technology development and speed the federal government’s transition to PQC. One of the orders directs federal agencies to complete their migration to PQC by 2031.
According to DOD officials, the DOD strategy will move faster than the timelines established in the executive orders.
“This strategy secures our tactical edge and the safety of our satellite communications and command systems. It builds the interoperability required to rapidly upgrade our cryptography today while ensuring we can adapt at the speed of innovation to counter the threats of tomorrow,” Davies said in a statement.
The strategy emphasizes collaboration with industry, including efforts to prepare the defense industrial base for future Federal Acquisition Regulation cryptographic compliance requirements.
DOD also plans to accelerate adoption of commercial-off-the-shelf PQC-enabled solutions to establish what officials called a “unified and resilient defense posture while reducing costs to the nation by streamlining testing.”
The strategy is organized around five lines of effort:
- Establishing a centralized oversight structure to streamline acquisition and ensure fiscal accountability
- Launching an aggressive campaign to scan for vulnerable systems and coordinate migration roadmaps
- Developing, testing, and maturing PQC solutions for “unique defense needs” while collaborating with standards bodies and industry to advance baseline capabilities
- Strengthening partnerships with industry and reducing barriers to adoption of commercial solutions
- Physically deploying quantum-resistance across all warfighting domains to secure systems without slowing mission operations
“We are answering the President’s call by establishing centralized governance – ensuring we leverage our buying power, eliminate waste, and secure the best possible value for every taxpayer dollar while moving at speed of innovation,” Davies said.