The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the U.S. Department of War has launched a multi-phase, $200 million USD solicitation codenamed Project Farseer (PROJ00665). Authorized under Presidential Executive Order 14411 (Ushering In the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation), the rapid fielding pipeline aims to transition mature atomic and solid-state quantum sensing architectures directly into the operational Joint Force. By shifting away from the physical boundaries of classical sensor platforms, the defense program is engineered to shatter long-standing Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) and sensitivity trade-offs, providing unmatched, real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities within electromagnetically contested and GPS-denied combat environments.

               ( $200M Dual-Use Procurement Fund • DIU CSO Framework )
                                          │
       ┌───────────────────┬──────────────┴──────────────┬───────────────────┐
       ▼                   ▼                             ▼                   ▼
 [ LoE 1: Mag ]     [ LoE 2: Grav ]              [ LoE 3: Clocks ]    [ LoE 4: Components ]
 Magnetometers for  Static, Low- & High-         Tactical PNT & Coher. Chip-Scale Lasers,
 Weak-Signal ISR    Dynamics Gradiometers        Sensor Synchronization Micro-Optics, & SiN PICs

The Four Lines of Effort (LoEs) and Standardized SOSA Metrics

Project Farseer leverages flexible contracting under the Other Transactions Authority (OTA) at 10 U.S.C. 4022, ensuring that successful prototyping cycles can jump directly to uncompetitive, large-scale follow-on production contracts. To achieve rapid integration with existing military vehicles and weapons platforms, all sub-system submissions must adhere strictly to Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) engineering principles.

The program is systematically organized around four primary Lines of Effort (LoEs), each defined by measurable hardware performance objectives.

  • LoE 1 – Magnetometers: Development of high-fidelity quantum magnetometers capable of detecting alternating electromagnetic fields above 100 Hz, targeting sensitivities ranging from ≤10 fT/√Hz to 1 pT/√Hz for long-range detection of ultra-weak electromagnetic signatures.
  • LoE 2 – Gravimeters: Development of scalar absolute gravimeters and single-component gravity gradiometers tailored for different operational environments. Performance goals include static systems with accuracy better than 5 μGal and mass below 20 kg, maritime platforms with accuracy better than 50 μGal, and airborne systems operating under high-dynamics conditions with accuracy better than 200 μGal for subsurface mapping and anomaly detection.
  • LoE 3 – Portable Tactical Clocks: Development of compact, ultra-stable timing systems intended to synchronize distributed sensor networks and provide resilient timing capabilities in contested electromagnetic environments. Target specifications include frequency instability (Allan deviation) below 1×10⁻¹³/√τ, a flicker floor below 3×10⁻¹⁵, and a total device volume not exceeding 5 liters.
  • LoE 4 – Component Technologies: Advancement of enabling hardware technologies, including chip-scale lasers, micro-optics, vapor cells, low-power cryogenic systems, and photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The objective is to reduce size, weight, and power requirements while improving robustness and manufacturability for next-generation quantum sensing platforms, including Rydberg atom electric-field sensors.

Catalyzing Private Supply Chains via Commercial Tech Exploitation

Under DIU Quantum Sensing Team Lead Kyle Norman, the defense pipeline is deliberately structured to exploit active commercial breakthroughs across mineral exploration, medical imaging, and subterranean oil and gas surveying. By sending an explicit, funded demand signal to the commercial market, the Department of War aims to expand domestic manufacturing capacities and establish trusted, scale-ready foundry ecosystems.

The solicitation is globally accessible to both domestic and international allied deep-tech vendors, mandating a current minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4 with prototype hardware deliveries due for government facility evaluation within three to nine months of the contract award.

                             [ Procurement Guardrail Matrix ]
TRL Boundary     ──► Minimum TRL 4 required at submission; all code must output to physical hardware.
Capital Match     ──► 33.3% non-federal cost-share mandate enforced for traditional defense primes.
Adversarial Check ──► Mandatory vetting of foreign parts & investors linked to 15 CFR 791.4 nations.

To preserve operational security and supply chain integrity against subversion, the DIU enforces rigid corporate vetting protocols. Solution briefs must explicitly list any foreign-sourced components, declare explicit hardware-software interface boundaries, and disclose any institutional venture capital or individual investors with ties to adversarial nations listed under 15 CFR 791.4.

Furthermore, while traditional defense contractors must furnish a 33.3% non-federal cost-share match, this funding requirement is entirely waived for non-traditional technology startups or consortia demonstrating significant non-traditional subcontractor integration. This commercial architecture ensures the rapid, agile acquisition of ruggedized quantum sensors built to maintain battle space knowledge and electronic protection dominance.

The complete technical criteria, submission forms, and operational evaluation metrics can be reviewed in the official DIU Farseer Procurement Portal here. Statutory project authorization records, executive deployment mandates, and defense policy announcements are tracked in the Department of War Press Room here.

July 1, 2026

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