Raytheon Technologies and IBM announced a strategic collaboration agreement that will lead to the joint development of artificial intelligence (AI), cryptography, and quantum solutions for the aerospace, defense, and intelligence industries, including the federal government.

Dario Gil, senior vice president, IBM, and director of Research, said, “The rapid advancement of quantum computing and its exponential capabilities has spawned one of the greatest technological races in recent history – one that demands unprecedented agility and speed. Our new collaboration with Raytheon Technologies will be a catalyst in advancing these state-of-the-art technologies – combining their expertise in aerospace, defense, and intelligence with IBM’s next-generation technologies to make discovery faster, and the scope of that discovery larger than ever.”

In the aerospace and government sectors, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies improve the design of systems, improve the security of communications networks, and improve decision-making processes. Together with Raytheon Technologies’ own research and IBM’s commercial research, the companies can solve previously unsolvable challenges.

Mark E. Russell, Raytheon Technologies chief technology officer, said, “Take something as fundamental as encrypted communications. As computing and quantum technologies advance, existing cybersecurity and cryptography methods are at risk of becoming vulnerable. IBM and Raytheon Technologies will now be able to collaboratively help customers maintain secure communications and defend their networks better than previously possible.”

The two companies will also work together on advanced cryptographic technologies, which are a key component to some of the toughest problems facing the aerospace industry and government agencies.

To quickly integrate IBM’s commercial technologies into active aerospace, defense, and intelligence programs, the companies have established a technical collaboration team. The same team will also identify promising technologies that will be used for developing long-term systems solutions through research investments and talent deployment.