IBM, Lockheed Martin Launch Swiss Quantum Hub With 120-Qubit System Two
Updated
Updated · IBM · Sep 10
IBM, Lockheed Martin Launch Swiss Quantum Hub With 120-Qubit System Two
3 articles · Updated · IBM · Sep 10
Summary
ETH Zurich’s new hub will be anchored by Switzerland’s first IBM Quantum System Two, due to go live at the CSCS supercomputing center in Lugano by end-2026.
IBM will operate the machine, powered by a Nighthawk r2 processor with 120 programmable qubits and more than 100,000 circuits per second, while ETH Zurich coordinates access for Swiss academia, startups and companies.
Swiss users will be able to run research in chemistry, materials science, optimization and financial services, with the system housed alongside the Alps supercomputer to support hybrid quantum-classical work.
Lockheed Martin is extending its strategic work with IBM through two initial projects at the hub—quantum sensing for navigation and additive manufacturing of metallic alloys.
The IBM-ETH Zurich operating agreement runs for an initial 3 years through 2029, adding to a separate 10-year IBM-ETH collaboration on AI and quantum algorithms.
With Switzerland's new quantum powerhouse nearing activation, how close are financial institutions to facing the ultimate encryption-breaking threat?
Beyond mere qubit counts, will IBM's hyper-fast Nighthawk processor finally bridge the gap between quantum theory and real-world industrial breakthroughs?
Could Lockheed Martin’s quantum bet in Lugano fundamentally rewrite the rules of aerospace manufacturing and metallic alloy design?