Summary
The US Army plans to grant Anduril control of the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) project, pending DoD approval. IVAS was initially awarded to Microsoft in 2018 to develop augmented reality headsets for soldiers based on a ruggedized version of HoloLens.
Key Points
Anduril will assume control of production, future development of both hardware and software, and delivery timelines
The project has had a long history of problems, with the DoD's inspector general issuing a report in 2022 saying IVAS wasn't doing a good enough job serving soldiers
Microsoft announced that it is proud of the work its teams have put in to help the US Army transform its concept of a soldier-borne AR headset into reality with the IVAS program
Why It Matters
The takeover highlights Anduril's growing presence in the military technology sector and the challenges faced by Microsoft as it transitions out of the project.
Author
Julie Bort