Microsoft has signed a contract with the US Army for the supply of AR glasses worth almost $ 22 billion
Microsoft will supply the US army with 120,000 special AR glasses based on HoloLens 2. The updated device allows you to see in the dark and display additional information on the screen. The amount of the contract, calculated for more than 10 years, is $21.8 billion.Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft confirmed this information in its blog.
According to the company, the new helmet will ensure the safety of the military and increase their efficiency.
“The program provides increased awareness in a combat situation, allowing you to exchange information and make decisions in various scenarios,” said engineer Alex Kipman, lead developer of HoloLens and one of the creators of Xbox Kinect.Microsoft has been cooperating with the US army since 2018. Then the company received a two-year contract worth $ 480 million and tested various prototypes of military AR-glasses. Now it will move to the direct production and supply of devices that can be used both for training and for combat operations.
Based on HoloLens 2, the Army AR helmet is equipped with a night vision device, a thermal imager and other necessary sensors. The device will also allow the military to get a map of the area, look around the corner, and commanders will be able to see images from the glasses of other soldiers. In 2019, the company also received a $10 billion contract for the supply of cloud services for the army (Amazon initially applied for the tender). Microsoft Azure cloud capacities will also be used in new military helmets.