Microsoft Corp. and Anduril Industries, a leader in defense technology, today announced an expanded partnership to drive the next phase of the U.S. Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program. Through this partnership agreement, and pending Department of Defense approval, Anduril will assume oversight of production, future development of hardware and software, and delivery timelines. This agreement also establishes Microsoft Azure as Anduril’s preferred hyperscale cloud for all workloads related to IVAS and Anduril AI technologies.
As warfare grows more complex, the need for intuitive, information-rich tools becomes increasingly urgent. Traditional mission command systems — that rely on flat maps, static dashboards and verbal communication — are ill-suited to the dynamic nature of modern battlefields. The IVAS program represents a groundbreaking step forward in military technology, providing soldiers with a comprehensive, body-worn system that integrates advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to give warfighters beyond line-of-sight perception capabilities, increasing combat effectiveness, survivability against drones, and accelerating mission command of unmanned systems.
This collaboration between Anduril and Microsoft leverages the distinct strengths of each company, ensuring continuity in the program while advancing IVAS goals of enhancing combat effectiveness, awareness and decision-making on the battlefield. Anduril’s mission focus on innovation in defense technology, deep understanding of military requirements, and unique approach to manufacturing defense products will ensure future program development specifically tailored to the evolving needs of the Army as well as production at scale and at lower unit cost.
Microsoft’s advanced cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities will continue to provide a robust backbone for the program, enabling seamless data integration and real-time insights critical to soldier effectiveness. Artificial intelligence will be foundational to all technical innovations for national security missions, and the cloud is essential to successfully delivering AI whenever and wherever it is needed. Through this agreement, Anduril will establish Azure as its preferred hyperscale cloud to support its AI development. Azure, through its commercial, U.S. government and classified clouds, provides high resiliency, sophisticated capabilities, flexibility and advanced security, designed to meet the stringent compliance requirements of the nation’s most sensitive data.
Since its founding in 2017, Anduril has focused exclusively on developing advanced defense technologies to solve unique challenges for warfighters. Palmer Luckey, Anduril’s founder, who previously revolutionized the VR industry with Oculus, brings unparalleled expertise and vision to this effort.
“The IVAS program represents the future of mission command, combining technology and human capability to give soldiers the edge they need on the battlefield,” said Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries. “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.”
“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,” said Robin Seiler, corporate vice president, Mixed Reality, Microsoft. “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.”
Microsoft and Anduril have previously collaborated to integrate Anduril’s Lattice platform into IVAS to provide rapid AI-enabled situational awareness capabilities to enhance soldier safety and operational effectiveness. This new agreement brings Microsoft and Anduril closer together to maximize their unique expertise in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and defense manufacturing to further enhance technical developments and operational efficiencies.
