DARPA Selects IonQ to Produce Next-Generation Atomic Clocks

Insider Brief

• IonQ received a $28 million DARPA contract extension to advance production of its Evergreen-05 optical atomic clocks and deliver 125 units to U.S. government customers.
• The Evergreen-05 clock is a compact optical atomic clock designed for applications including radar, secure communications, and precision geolocation.
• IonQ will invest $15 million in production facilities, manufacturing equipment, and staff to support delivery of the clock systems.

Press release – IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) announced today that it has been awarded a $28 million contract extension through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) It’s About Time program. Under the program, IonQ will advance its scalable clock production capabilities for its Evergreen-05 optical atomic clocks and deliver 125 units to U.S. government customers. The clocks are designed for mission-critical applications including radar, secure communications, and precision geolocation.

Evergreen-05 Atomic Clock Performance

Originally developed under DARPA’s Robust Optical Clock Network program, IonQ’s Evergreen-05 is a compact, fully integrated optical atomic clock with a 5-liter, shoe box-sized form factor. It delivers timing stability of 50 femtoseconds at one second and nanosecond holdover over 10 days–projecting to a timing error of less than one second over 30 million years.

• Compared with active hydrogen masers, Evergreen-05 delivers superior phase noise and short-term stability with comparable long-term drift.
• The clock provides this performance in 1/75th of the volume of an active hydrogen maser.
• Its tactical package and broader environmental operating range extend IonQ’s existing clock technology across land, maritime, and airborne platforms.

Program Background

DARPA’s support for the core Evergreen-05 technology began in 2019, when it funded an initial effort for Vector Atomic, then a year-old startup in Pleasanton, California. IonQ acquired Vector Atomic in October 2025 to expand its capabilities into quantum position, navigation, and timing.

Executive Perspective

“We added Vector Atomic to the IonQ family because their clocks and sensors are the best in the world,” said IonQ Chairman and CEO Niccolo de Masi. “DARPA’s investment under the It’s About Time program confirms that we made the right choice.”

“DARPA has been a partner every step of the way. That initial support was critical to prove the core concepts of our clock,” said Marty Boyd, director of IonQ’s timekeeping division and co-founder of Vector Atomic. “We joined IonQ to accelerate and scale up delivery of our commercial products, and DARPA’s continued support gives us the opportunity to do that.”

Production Investment

To support Evergreen-05 delivery, IonQ will invest $15 million in dedicated production space, advanced manufacturing and test equipment, and support staff.