San Francisco (AFP)
The US military on Wednesday announced the signing of a massive, nearly $ 22 billion contract with Microsoft to supply augmented reality headsets to close combat forces.
The IVAS or Integrated Visual Augmentation System, which Microsoft has been developing with the military for three years, represents an order of $ 21.8 billion over ten years, said the US Department of Defense.
A first contract is for five years, renewable for five years.
This device integrates HoloLens augmented reality glasses, already on the market, with remote computing services (the "cloud").
"It provides combat forces with a better situational awareness, enables information sharing and decision making in a variety of scenarios," Alex Kipman, a Microsoft technical manager, said in a blog post.
"This order brings the IVAS into production and rapid commissioning to provide next-generation night vision and location awareness capabilities to close combat forces," a ministry statement said. defense.
A helmet-mounted display, used by soldiers in the field and in training, takes advantage of night vision and thermal vision sensors to make tactical decisions and engage targets, the Defense Ministry said.
Maps and information can be projected through the glasses.
This contract further strengthens ties between the technology giant, based in Redmond, Washington, in the western United States, and the US military.
In September, the Pentagon had maintained its choice to award its mega-contract of "cloud", in the amount of $ 10 billion, to Microsoft and not to Amazon, despite protests from the e-commerce giant, which accused the former President Donald Trump of favoritism and challenged the ruling in court.
© 2021 AFP