The United States Army has awarded a total of $354 million to two defense contractors for the development of wearable virtual displays aimed at enhancing soldier capabilities. Anduril Industries received $159 million, while Rivet, a startup backed by Palantir, was granted $195 million to support its work on the Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC) program. This initiative follows the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), expanding its focus from headsets to complementary wearables such as smartwatches and additional computing devices.
Anduril’s founder, Palmer Luckey, indicated that instead of selecting a single contractor for a sole product, the Army is likely to adopt a diverse range of headsets and devices. “I actually think that probably most of the SBMC hardware that is sold to the Army over the next 10 years…is not going to be made by Anduril,” he stated. He emphasized that the future of soldier augmentation will involve adaptations of commercial devices as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology continues to evolve.
Redefining Soldier Technology
Anduril is also responsible for developing the software that will allow seamless integration of data displayed through these devices. Luckey highlighted the need for tailored solutions that cater to various roles within the Army. “I don’t think that any one headset can be the headset that meets every need for every soldier,” he said, citing past failures of soldier augmentation systems that tried to serve all functions with a single design.
He described the challenges associated with creating a comfortable and effective headset, recalling his experience with the Oculus Rift, an early VR headset. “You need to make it very lightweight…only enhancing their experience of viewing the world, not degrading it,” he remarked. This focus on user comfort and functionality aims to avoid issues faced by previous prototypes, such as motion sickness.
Rivet shares a similar commitment to usability and effectiveness. According to CEO Dave Marra, the company’s prototype will incorporate voice commands designed to facilitate communication among soldiers and enhance operational efficiency on the battlefield. “These kinds of natural language interactions are the most critical element to enable,” he explained. Marra emphasized the importance of intuitive controls for tasks such as identifying targets and anomalies in real-time.
A Rapid Approach to Combat Readiness
The SBMC program represents a crucial testing ground for the Army’s Transformation-in-Contact strategy, which aims to expedite the development and deployment of new technologies. By incorporating direct feedback from soldiers using these prototypes in real combat scenarios, the Army seeks to quickly identify strengths and weaknesses in the technology.
Luckey expressed urgency in delivering effective systems to the field. “There is an appetite to get this stuff into real combat as fast as possible, so we can see where it works, see where it falls apart,” he noted. The expectation is that these systems must not only function reliably but also ensure the safety of soldiers without causing discomfort or operational disruptions.
As the competition between Anduril and Rivet unfolds, both companies are poised to play significant roles in shaping the future of soldier technology. With substantial financial backing and a focus on innovation, they aim to redefine how soldiers interact with their environment and enhance their operational capabilities in increasingly complex combat scenarios.
