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IonQ Advances Quantum Networking Ambitions With DARPA Backing, Remote Entanglement Demo

Benzinga·04/15/2026 13:05:56
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IonQ Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) shares are up during Wednesday’s premarket session as the company was selected for DARPA’s Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ) program.

The initiative announced on Tuesday aims to develop high-speed quantum interconnects that can link various types of quantum computers, contributing to a new class of networked quantum systems, which has sparked interest in the stock.

The company said it was selected for this significant program, which is expected to enhance the scalability of quantum technologies.

IonQ is a quantum platform and merchant supplier – delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security.

IONQ Jumps on DARPA HARQ Selection

IonQ’s selection for the HARQ program highlights its commitment to advancing quantum computing technology.

The program focuses on integrating different qubit technologies, such as trapped ions and superconducting qubits, to improve communication reliability between diverse systems.

On Tuesday, IonQ also said it has reached a key technical milestone by connecting two independent trapped-ion quantum systems using photonic interconnects, marking what it calls the first demonstration of linked commercial quantum computers.

The development signals progress toward scaling quantum computing beyond standalone processors into distributed architectures.

Photonic Interconnect Enables Remote Quantum Link

The company said it successfully established a photonic connection between two remote quantum systems, validating the generation, transmission, and detection of photons required to create quantum entanglement across distance.

The update marks the first time two commercial IonQ quantum computers have been entangled remotely, extending prior laboratory demonstrations into a commercial setting.

The result supports long-standing theoretical approaches that rely on photonic links to connect separate trapped-ion systems while maintaining coherence.

IONQ Price Action: IonQ shares were up 7.02% at $38.27 during premarket trading on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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