Orca Computing has launched its PT-3 photonic quantum computer, with the first system deployed and live in Digital Realty’s LHR19 data center in London Docklands.

Like its predecessors, the PT-3 has been designed to integrate with existing high-performance computing (HPC) and data center environments, and is running alongside Nvidia hardware at the Digital Realty facility.

Described by the UK-based quantum firm as “the first quantum computer built for commercial advantage,” the PT-3 is modular and upgradable, weighing around 800kg (1,764lbs).

The system operates at room temperature, drawing 6kW of power across two standard data center racks. By comparison, a single Nvidia DGX H100 node consumes approximately 10kW of power.

This, the company said, allows it to be installed in standard data center environments without requiring specialized floor, power, or connectivity modifications.

Speaking at LHR19 ahead of today’s launch, James Fletcher, head of solutions architecture at Orca, said installation of the PT-3 took three hours, with the system becoming fully operational within 24 hours.

Additionally, Orca co-founder and CEO Richard Murray told the press during the launch event that one of the most important features of the PT-3 was its speed and latency, noting that it is “critical” that the system is deployed in data centers as the AI model it handles “does not operate anywhere near as effectively over a remote link.”

The PT-3 is currently powering two projects: A hybrid quantum-classical extension of Nvidia’s Proteina generative AI model for protein design, and tackling optimization problems in partnership with JIJ Inc.

“[Orca doesn’t] hide away from the fact our system is a special-purpose quantum computer that leans on things photonics does very well,” Murray said during the event. “But we don’t mind ... We’re leaning into the things that photonics does best in order to deliver performance, rather than position ourselves as a general-purpose quantum computer, which requires more resources, allowing us to prioritize applications that matter.”

He added: “Photonics is a different platform [to other quantum modalities that exist]. It operates differently, and we’ve decided that rather than ignore those features, to embrace them in order to deliver valuable applications to our customers.”

Founded in 2019 as a spin-out from Oxford University, Orca Computing is a UK-based photonic quantum computing company. The predecessor to the PT-3 system, the PT-2, was launched in 2024.

Prior to the launch of the PT-3, the company had deployed around 11 quantum computers on-premises, with customers including Montana State University and the UK's National Quantum Computing Centre.

Prior to the PT-3 deployment, Digital Realty hosted an Orca PT-2 system at its liquid cooling lab at the LHR19 facility.

LHR19 – also known as Cloud House West – is located at 1 Muirfield Crescent. Launched in 2019, the data center totals 138,800 sq ft (12,895 sqm) across five stories. CBRE Investment Management owns the facility, acquiring it from Aberdeen Group in 2024.