IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) Expands Government Partnerships with SHIELD IDIQ Eligibility
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IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) has secured a contract under the Missile Defense Agency’s Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) agreement, potentially worth up to $151 billion. This eligibility allows IonQ to compete for task orders aimed at rapidly delivering innovative capabilities to defense systems, leveraging its portfolio of quantum technologies—spanning computing, networking, sensing, and security. The company, with subsidiaries like Capella Space, Skyloom, and Vector Atomic, offers solutions for areas including space-based intelligence and secure communications. “IonQ brings together a broad set of quantum technologies and supporting capabilities that reflect years of investment across computing, networking, sensing, and security,” said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. This participation builds on IonQ’s existing work with agencies like DARPA and the U.S.
Air Force Research Laboratory, solidifying its role in advancing national security innovation. $151 Billion SHIELD Contract Fuels Defense Innovation A staggering $151 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, dubbed SHIELD, has been awarded to IonQ, opening new avenues for quantum technology integration within U.S. missile defense systems. This expansive agreement positions IonQ among over 2,400 companies vying for task orders, promising a rapid influx of innovative capabilities to defense operations. Beyond quantum computing, IonQ’s portfolio encompasses quantum networking, sensing, and security—a comprehensive approach to bolstering national security infrastructure. Capella Space delivers crucial synthetic aperture radar imagery, while Skyloom focuses on secure, high-speed data transmission between space and ground. Vector Atomic is developing precision timing technologies designed to function even when GPS signals are unavailable. This SHIELD contract builds upon IonQ’s established collaborations with organizations like DARPA and the U.S.
Air Force Research Laboratory, signaling a deepening partnership with the national security community. The company recently achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, a world record demonstrating significant progress in quantum computing performance. IonQ’s forthcoming IonQ Tempo system aims to further accelerate innovation in fields ranging from drug discovery to cybersecurity. With operations spanning multiple continents, IonQ is actively making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful for both commercial and defense applications. 99% Two-Qubit Fidelity Achieves Quantum Performance Record Quantum computing took a significant leap forward in 2025, as IonQ achieved a record-breaking 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, a metric crucial for reliable quantum calculations. This level of precision minimizes errors during operations on qubits—the fundamental units of quantum information—and brings practical quantum computation closer to reality. While still in its early stages, this achievement demonstrates substantial progress in overcoming the challenges of maintaining qubit coherence and controlling quantum states. The company’s advancements are poised to impact fields ranging from materials science to financial modeling. IonQ’s forthcoming IonQ Tempo system builds upon this success, promising to deliver even more powerful quantum capabilities to customers and partners like Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA. These collaborations are already yielding promising results, with some projects demonstrating a 20x performance increase. The company’s services are now available through all major cloud providers, broadening the reach of this transformative technology. IonQ brings together a broad set of quantum technologies and supporting capabilities that reflect years of investment across computing, networking, sensing, and security. Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ Capella Space, Skyloom, and Vector Atomic Expand Capabilities Capella Space is focused on delivering on-demand, all-weather synthetic aperture radar imagery, crucial for operational and security missions requiring persistent observation regardless of environmental conditions. Complementing this, Skyloom is developing high-capacity optical communications technologies, designed to facilitate secure, high-speed data transfer between space-based assets and ground stations – a critical element for modern data-driven operations. Further bolstering IonQ’s diversified offerings, Vector Atomic concentrates on precision timing and navigation technologies, engineered to maintain system performance even when GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable. This is particularly relevant for applications demanding unwavering accuracy in contested or remote environments. IonQ is now one of over 2,400 companies eligible to compete for task orders under the SHIELD framework, a testament to its established position within the national security landscape. De Masi added, “We look forward to continuing our work with U.S. government partners across a range of research, development, and innovation programs.” Source: https://www.ionq.com/news/ionq-selected-to-support-missile-defense-agency-shield-idiq-contract Tags: