Advanced Combat Goggles Microsoft Corp. They passed the first round of intensive testing by soldiers, and the tech giant has ordered another batch for use in combat evaluation in 2025, according to a US Army spokesman.

The first 20 prototypes of the IVAS 1.2 goggles were delivered in late July and were evaluated by two groups of soldiers in late August to see if there were improvements in reliability, low-light performance and fit that stalled the deployment. previous versions.

Devices based on Microsoft’s HoloLens “mixed reality” glasses “demonstrated improvements in reliability, low-light sensor performance and form factor” during testing last month at Fort Drum, New York, and “feedback from soldiers has been positive,” spokesman David Patterson said. told. in an email.

On September 5, the Army awarded a new contract for additional systems and evaluation of Microsoft’s large-volume production capability. Patterson did not disclose the amount or number of the contract.

The new pre-production models will support intensive combat testing between April and June 2025 and, if successful, will lead to the launch of the glasses. Over a decade, the Army plans to spend $21.9 billion on 121,000 devices, spare parts and support services if all capabilities are deployed. Source