D-Wave Systems sells its first Quantum Computing System to Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) has entered into an agreement to purchase a quantum computing system from D-Wave Systems Inc.

Lockheed Martin and D-Wave will collaborate to realize the benefits of a computing platform based upon a quantum annealing processor, as applied to some of Lockheed Martin’s most challenging computation problems. The multi-year contract includes a system, maintenance and associated professional services.

Dwave Systems had announced the commercial availability of their 128 adiabatic quantum computer two weeks ago.

Back in 2006, I set out a bet/prediction — There will be a quantum computer with over 100 qubits of processing capability sold either as a hardware system or whose use is made available as a commercial service by Dec 31, 2010 Missed it by 6 months (unless there was undisclosed sale last year to say the National Security Agency).

I received an email from Geordie Rose – The deal with Lockheed Martin concluded in November of 2010. My prediction/bet was successful. 128 qubit commercial sale.

Nextbigfuture has written over 80 articles about Dwave systems

50 articles on adiabatic quantum computers

Over 200 articles on quantum computers

D-Wave develops computing systems that leverage the physics of quantum mechanics in order to address problems that are hard for traditional methods to solve in a cost-effective amount of time. Examples of such problems include software verification and validation, financial risk analysis, affinity mapping and sentiment analysis, object recognition in images, medical imaging classification, compressed sensing and bioinformatics. D-Wave develops an architecture that is optimized for working with such problems.

“D-Wave is thrilled to establish a strategic relationship with Lockheed Martin Corporation,” said Vern Brownell, D-Wave’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our combined strength will provide capacity for innovation needed to tackle important unresolved computational problems of today and tomorrow. Our relationship will allow us to significantly advance the potential of quantum computing.”

D-Wave was featured May 11, 2011 in the prestigious British scientific journal Nature, where its research on quantum annealing was published.

Lockheed Martin is a global security company with headquarters in Bethesda, Md.

D-Wave’s mission is to build quantum computing systems that help solve humanity’s most challenging problems. It strives to use the deepest insights of physics and computer science to design new types of computers capable of taking on the world’s hardest and most important challenges.