# IBM Nighthawk r2 quantum processor development

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ibm-nighthawk-r2-quantum-processor-development
> Updated: 2026-09-29T05:11:25.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

IBM introduced the Nighthawk r2 quantum processor, a 120-qubit superconducting system designed to execute over 100,000 circuits per second. This architecture utilizes high-dynamic-range tunable couplers and a dissipative reset gadget to allow for faster transitions between circuit executions compared to previous fleets.

Following this launch, researchers at BlueQubit, led by physicist Tigran Sedrakyan, used the Nighthawk r2 via a standard cloud-based workflow to demonstrate quantum advantage. The team completed a complex mathematical task using Random Circuit Sampling (RCS) in 19 seconds, a calculation estimated to take the most advanced classical supercomputers, such as the Frontier supercomputer, approximately 110 years to solve.

The demonstration involved generating 1 million samples using 61 of the processor's 120 available qubits. Notably, this milestone was achieved through IBM’s standard commercial cloud platform without the need for specialized laboratory hardware or custom calibrations. These findings have been published on the arXiv preprint server.

## Claims

- The BlueQubit research team led by physicist Tigran Sedrakyan conducted the experiment. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The experiment utilized IBM’s Nighthawk r2 superconducting quantum processor, which has 120 programmable qubits. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The quantum processor completed a task in 19 seconds that was estimated to take a classical supercomputer 110 years. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The processor generated 1 million samples during the experiment. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The experiment used 61 of the 120 available qubits. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The task performed was Random Circuit Sampling (RCS), a benchmark for comparing quantum and classical computing. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The experiment was conducted via IBM’s standard commercial cloud platform without specialized calibration. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The 110-year estimate is based on the performance of the Frontier supercomputer. (corroborated by 6 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: IBM Nighthawk r2 quantum processor completes 110-year task in 19 seconds

Using IBM’s Nighthawk r2 quantum processor, BlueQubit researchers completed a task in 19 seconds that would take the Frontier supercomputer an estimated 110 years to finish.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ibm-quantum-processor-completes-110-year-calculation-in-19-seconds

### 2026-09-03: IBM unveils Nighthawk r2 quantum processor with 25x faster speeds

IBM has unveiled the Nighthawk r2 quantum processor, which offers 25 times faster computation speeds than previous models using a new dissipative reset architecture.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ibm-unveils-nighthawk-r2-quantum-processor-with-25x-faster-speeds

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Cite as: IBM Nighthawk r2 quantum processor development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ibm-nighthawk-r2-quantum-processor-development