Augmented reality (AR) goggles made by Microsoft’s high-tech combat equipment have been evaluated by the U.S. military and will be delivered soon. In a statement, U.S. military spokesman Jamal Beck said Douglas Bush, the undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, had approved “the Army to begin receiving AR goggles from Microsoft.” Previously, Microsoft’s deliveries were put on hold due to concerns about the device’s performance until it recently passed more rigorous testing.
JOIN XIAOMI ON TELEGRAM
Based on the test results obtained so far, the Defense Department is adjusting its plans to allow time to correct deficiencies in the equipment and deploy the equipment to units focused on relevant training activities, Baker said.
Officially called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), Microsoft’s AR goggles are expected to provide U.S. ground forces with a heads-up display similar to fighter pilots. The system, a customized version of Microsoft’s HoloLens Goggles, will allow commanders to project information onto masks in front of soldiers’ faces and will include features such as night vision.
The U.S. military estimates that if all features are included, the military will spend as much as $21.9 billion over the next decade on Microsoft goggles, spare parts, and related support services.
Bush last month issued an order to accept deliveries, a sign of his confidence in Microsoft’s products. The DOD’s director of operational test and evaluation is drafting the final test report, which is not expected until next month. Bush said in an earlier statement: “We have done good testing and have a better understanding of it. We remain confident that this project will be successful.” Microsoft declined to comment.
The U.S. military awarded Microsoft an order in March 2021 and plans to order 121,000 sets of goggles over the next decade, with the first batch of 5,000 sets worth $373 million. However, the project was shelved late last year as the military delayed the deployment of AR goggles in hopes of “continuing to enhance the technology platform.”
The test report will help Congress decide whether to approve the military’s proposed $424.2 million in funding for the program for the next fiscal year, which begins in October. Appropriations panels in the U.S. House and Senate have recommended slashing military-related budgets pending test results.
