In a significant move to enhance soldier technology, Anduril Industries has been awarded a $159-million contract by the US Army to prototype a cutting-edge helmet-mounted mixed reality system. This initiative is part of the Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC) program, which aims to improve how soldiers access and utilize tactical information in the field.
The new system seeks to address challenges encountered with the army’s previous Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), which has faced delays and varying success since its inception in 2018. The contract includes an initial phase focused on creating a next-generation interface that merges night vision capabilities, augmented reality, and integrated command-and-control tools.
This advanced system is designed to provide soldiers with seamless, real-time access to critical tactical information, ultimately minimizing their dependence on traditional communication devices such as radios, maps, and apps, especially in contested environments.
To realize this vision, Anduril is collaborating with several notable technology partners, including Meta, Qualcomm, OSI, and Gentex. The hardware being developed will work in conjunction with the SBMC-Architecture (SBMC-A), an open software platform spearheaded by Anduril, featuring contributions from key firms like Palantir Technologies, L3Harris Technologies, Persistent Systems, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Maxar, among others.
SBMC-A is built upon Anduril’s existing Lattice platform and has undergone preliminary testing during field exercises utilizing current IVAS headsets. During recent trials, soldiers were able to control drones directly from head-mounted displays without the need for a dedicated operator. This innovative architecture also facilitates faster software updates, addressing a major concern that has hindered earlier IVAS versions.
The contract further emphasizes the army’s ongoing commitment to modernizing its soldier systems, despite previous setbacks encountered with IVAS, which was developed primarily in partnership with Microsoft. Past iterations of this system faced criticism for performance-related issues, leading to funding cuts from Congress in 2022. Reported soldier complaints included adverse effects such as headaches, nausea, and eyestrain.
The SBMC program symbolizes the army’s strategic effort to both refine and expand upon the foundational concepts of soldier technology, leveraging broader industry collaboration to enhance operational effectiveness. As these developments unfold, the potential impact on soldier safety and mission success could be profound.
