QuSecure shows quantum-safe Army network at PCC6

QuSecure said it demonstrated the operational readiness of its QuProtect R3 post-quantum cryptography product at Project Convergence Capstone 6, where testing resulted in a Technical Readiness Level 7 rating.

At the US Army experimentation event, QuProtect R3 provided quantum-resistant communications, cryptographic agility, and cryptographic discovery and inventory for tactical mission systems, according to QuSecure. Soldiers operated the product in real-world conditions during the exercise at the National Training Centre at Fort Irwin.

The announcement places QuSecure's work within a wider federal push toward post-quantum cryptography. The company pointed to binding deadlines in Executive Order 14412 requiring federal agencies to migrate to post-quantum cryptography by 2030 and 2031.

Project Convergence Capstone 6 is run by Army Transformation and Training Command, or T2COM, as a live experiment involving thousands of soldiers. It is used to test concepts, formations, and technologies across the Army, the Joint Force, and multinational partners.

Technical Readiness Level 7 generally indicates that a system prototype has been demonstrated in an operational environment. QuSecure said the rating marks a step toward fielding the product within the Department of War and noted that the Post-Quantum Cryptography Coalition's solution analysis guide identifies technical readiness as an important measure when assessing such products.

QuSecure said the result reflects QuProtect R3's progress from work under a Small Business Innovation Research programme to a product it is now seeking to deploy more widely. The process was supported by its work with Army C5ISR, the company added.

Joey Lupo, Product Manager at QuSecure, linked the demonstration to a development effort with the Army unit.

"Participation in PCC6 caps off almost two years of close, iterative development work with C5ISR to adapt the product and add new capabilities for tactical networks," said Joey Lupo, Product Manager at QuSecure.

"C5ISR has been instrumental in helping QuProtect mature into the product it is today. This event also marks a critical milestone for the Army. Besides demonstrating that tactical networks can be hardened against the quantum threat before a possible 2029 Q-day, we demonstrated improvements to the network today in terms of automation, cryptographic agility, and zero trust that will improve resilience against advanced cyber adversaries for years to come," Lupo said.

Migration pressure

Federal agencies are under increasing pressure to identify where cryptography is used across networks and replace methods that could become vulnerable to quantum computing, QuSecure said. That is driving interest in tools that can catalogue cryptographic assets, change algorithms, and manage policy across mixed technology environments.

QuSecure said QuProtect R3 is designed to let organisations update cryptographic policy across networks from a single control plane without rewriting applications. The product can also operate across cloud, on-premises, air-gapped, and sovereign environments while remaining compatible with older infrastructure, according to the company.

Those claims matter because many government and defence systems are made up of legacy software and hardware that are difficult to replace quickly. In practice, migration plans often depend on overlay tools and phased deployment rather than complete system rebuilds.

Brian Cunningham, EVP of Growth and Strategy at QuSecure, said the PCC6 result showed the Army was moving before the federal compliance deadlines arrive.

"Executive Order 14412 and the Department of War's PQC Strategy have set binding deadlines every federal agency now has to meet," said Brian Cunningham, EVP of Growth and Strategy at QuSecure.

"TRL-7 at PCC6 means the Army is not waiting. They have a proven, deployable platform operating in live-force tactical conditions right now, years ahead of the 2030-2031 compliance window. Every other DoW component and federal agency has a ready reference deployment to follow," Cunningham said.

Defence focus

Post-quantum cryptography has become a growing area of spending and planning across government as agencies prepare for the risk that future quantum computers could break current encryption methods. Defence users face added complexity because secure communications must work across fixed networks, mobile systems, and mission environments where equipment may be disconnected or exposed to contested conditions.

QuSecure said its customer base includes US defence agencies, financial institutions, and operators of critical infrastructure. The PCC6 outcome gives the company a public reference point for selling to agencies seeking tested migration tools as federal timetables for post-quantum adoption draw closer.