UK-based quantum sensing firm Aquark Technologies has completed a second maritime trial of its cold-atom atomic clock, AQlock, aboard the Royal Navy’s HMS Pursuer. This marks the first successful stable deployment of a cold-atom-based atomic clock on a moving sea vessel, representing a step forward for sovereign Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities that operate independently of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
The trial, supported by the Royal Navy’s Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), tested AQlock’s robustness and operational stability under offshore conditions in the Solent region. The system utilizes laser-cooled atoms—trapped using Aquark’s proprietary supermolasses technique—to maintain precise timekeeping without GNSS correction. This method reduces drift over extended periods, making it suitable for defense, finance, telecommunications, and remote operations where satellite navigation is unavailable or compromised.
AQlock is developed with backing from Innovate UK under the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI). Its compact architecture and low power requirements make it suitable for future field-deployable quantum timing systems. The trial supports the UK’s national strategy for sovereign quantum capabilities and demonstrates the AQlock’s maturity for operational use in GNSS-denied environments.
Read the full announcement from Aquark Technologies here.
June 17, 2025
