US Army to start receiving Microsoft's "IVAS" HoloLens after test success

Microsoft is continuously partnering with different companies and organizations around the globe. One of the biggest deals it closed recently is with the government of the United States, wherein the company is set to provide its army with Hololens. And just this week, the tech giant started shipping the first batch of the Integrated Audio Visual System (IVAS) combat headsets that will be used to “increase lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide, and engage before the enemy.”

The deal between the United States Army and Microsoft is a big one, which gives the latter a contract costing up to $21.9 billion for ten years. However, despite the partnership that is made serious with the huge fund involved, many have been dubious about its success since the contract signing occurred more than a year ago, with little to no progress about the agreement reported.

However, according to a report by Bloomberg, despite the doubts, Microsoft and the US Army have been taking steps little by little. And last month, though it was not made public during that time, the US Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Douglas Bush issued a directive to accept some IVAS headsets delivery after a successful test and said, “We did a good test and will learn from it. The Army remains confident that the program will succeed.”

The Microsoft team handling the deal is still facing different challenges regarding the headsets, such as low light and thermal imaging issues, but Army spokesperson Jamal Beck said that it “is adjusting its fielding plan to allow for time to correct deficiencies and also field to units that are focused on training activities.” In relation to that, a final test report of the IVAS combat headsets is expected in October 2022, which will determine the adjustments that should be made and the rest of the budget for the deal in the coming years.