QuNET Initiative Completes Experimental Quantum Communication Network

Security QuNET Initiative Completes Experimental Quantum Communication Network

2026-11-05 Source: Press release German Aerospace Center (DLR) | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

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The QuNET research initiative has completed its final key experiment, demonstrating a cross-state experimental quantum communication network in Germany. The network connects regional infrastructures in Bavaria, Berlin, Saxony and Thuringia, marking an important step towards highly secure communications and the practical application of quantum technologies.

Presentation of DLR research within the QuNET initiative.(Source: DLR) — Presentation of DLR research within the QuNET initiative.
(Source: DLR)

With a live demonstration, the QuNET research initiative has completed its final key experiment: in Berlin, Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space, joined representatives from the federal states of Bavaria, Berlin, Saxony and Thuringia to activate an experimental, cross-state quantum communication network.

The QuNET initiative is researching the technological foundations for highly secure communications. At its heart is quantum key distribution (QKD). The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is part of the initiative's core consortium, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute for Telecommunications HHI, the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) and Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). The Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) funds the QuNET initiative.

“Today, with the final key experiment of the QuNET initiative, we have reached an important milestone in Germany's High-Tech Agenda. I am delighted that we were able to see first-hand how quantum communication can protect our sensitive data against attacks in the quantum age of the future. This strengthens our technological sovereignty and value creation. The task now is to move research rapidly into widespread practical application in order to deliver the cybersecurity of tomorrow,” explains Federal Minister Dorothee Bär.

Federal states provide regional networks, Federal Minister connects them

In the final and largest QuNET key experiment, which also marked the initiative's official closing event, researchers demonstrated the exchange of quantum-encrypted data in an experimental, cross-state quantum communication network. Working with users from business, science and society, they tested the network in a realistic scenario.

To this end, political representatives of the participating federal states first activated their respective regional subnetworks on 28 October 2026, at locations in Erlangen, Erfurt and Berlin. In Bavaria, this was carried out by Minister-President Dr Markus Söder; in Berlin, by Governing Mayor Kai Wegner; and in Thuringia, by Minister-President Mario Voigt. Saxony was also represented by Dr Babett Gläser, Head of the Research Department at the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism.

Through their own state-level initiatives, the federal states had made a significant contribution to establishing local quantum communication research infrastructures. These provided the foundation on which the cross-state QuNET network could be built.

Following the successful provision of the regional subnetworks, Federal Minister Dorothee Bär initiated their interconnection in Berlin to form a joint quantum communication network, followed by a live demonstration.

Project milestone: quantum channels tested in flight last year

Several key experiments paved the way for this achievement. For example, in a flight experiment led by the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation, researchers measured various quantum channels between an aircraft and a ground station last year, sent photons to an ion trap and tested quantum key distribution technologies.

“When developing mobile quantum nodes, we were able to contribute our core technologies from optical communications via satellites and aircraft, and demonstrate them in this flight experiment. This experience will enable us to help build future quantum networks over long distances. Free-space connections via satellites, aircraft and stratospheric platforms will form part of the solution for tomorrow's secure quantum communication systems,” explains Dr Florian David, Director of the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation in Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany).

Live demonstration using fictional healthcare data

During the latest live demonstration in Berlin, implemented under the technical leadership of the MPL and FAU, different quantum cryptography systems were interconnected to form a network.

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The demonstration focused on a practical application scenario: fictional pharmacy reimbursement records were transmitted as test datasets using quantum-secured communications. The actual transmission took place via fibre-optic cables. This is because QuNET investigated not only components and systems for quantum communication, but also their integration into existing communications infrastructures.

“The future of quantum communication will be shaped by a hybrid, quantum-secured infrastructure comprising fibre-optic networks, free-space networks and satellite networks,” says Professor Andreas Tünnermann, spokesperson for the QuNET initiative. “That is precisely what we are demonstrating in this final QuNET key experiment: different systems and regional networks can work together. This brings us an important step closer to the goal of a practically usable network infrastructure for highly secure communications.”

The next generation follows QuNET

With the live demonstration in Berlin, the QuNET initiative is now approaching the end of its seven-year research programme. At the same time, the next phase is beginning: moving beyond an experimental quantum network focused on QKD applications towards creating value in Germany from the technologies and research results.