Microsoft has confirmed that it is seeking to hand-off development and production of its military IVAS hardware and software to a third-party via a new partnership with Anduril Industries, an American defence technology company.
The news comes as Microsoft essentially washes its hands of all first-party Mixed Reality efforts. In the last year, the company has retired its Windows Mixed Reality platform and ended production on HoloLens 2. In 2022, the company outright canceled the HoloLens 3.
Microsoft's corporate vice president of Mixed Reality, Robin Seiler said in a blog post “We are incredibly proud of the work our teams have put in to help the U.S. Army transform its concept of a soldier-borne, AR headset into reality with the IVAS program. Our Soldier-Centered Design approach helped reimagine technology development with the Army that continuously took in real-world soldier feedback to develop a product that soldiers love. We are excited to partner with Anduril for the next phase of IVAS and leverage our combined strengths to meet our commitments on this vital program and deliver a game-changing capability for every U.S. soldier.”
IVAS was a specialized version of HoloLens 2 designed for the United States military. Microsoft was awarded a $22 billion contract in 2021 to deliver an augmented reality device for U.S. soldiers, but the project has faced many issues throughout development. The current iteration of IVAS is version 1.2, which addresses key issues and concerns from soldiers who had provided feedback on earlier iterations of the hardware.
As part of this partnership, Anduril Industries will use Microsoft Azure as its preferred hyperscale cloud for all workloads related to the IVAS project and Anduril AI technology. Anduril Industries' founder, Palmer Luckey said "The ultimate goal is to create a military ecosystem where technology acts as an extension of human capability. By empowering soldiers with the tools they need to make faster, smarter decisions, we’re building a future where technology and human ingenuity combine to ensure mission success.”
Should the partnership be approved, this will mark the end of a Microsoft-made augmented reality device for the military, with Anduril Industries taking over design, development, and production of the hardware and software. The partnership will need to be approved by the U.S. Department of Defence before it can proceed.
