Meta Platforms and Anduril Industries have been selected to participate in the U.S. Army’s latest effort to develop advanced mixed-reality combat goggles. The project adds another chapter to the ongoing military push to equip soldiers with head-mounted systems that combine augmented and virtual reality.
The Army’s new program will build on the earlier Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), a multibillion-dollar initiative first led by Microsoft. That effort, despite heavy investment, faced criticism from within the military and was eventually transferred to Anduril. Since taking over, Anduril has restructured the initiative under the name Soldier Borne Mission Command, drawing on years of test data and soldier feedback.
According to available information, the new phase will use more than 260,000 hours of input gathered during the IVAS program. The Army has already committed over $1.3 billion to research, prototypes, and testing in this area, making the current contracts part of a long-running strategy rather than an isolated deal.
The collaboration also marks a renewed partnership between Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, now running Anduril. The two had previously pursued consumer-focused virtual reality projects but are now applying their experience to defense contracts. Bloomberg reported that Meta was included as a partner in Anduril’s proposal, although the company has not disclosed financial details of its share.
Rivet Industries, a defense technology firm led by a former Palantir executive, was also awarded a contract. The company said its deal is valued at around $195 million, suggesting that multiple prototypes will advance in parallel before the Army settles on a final system.
For the Army, the goal remains unchanged that is to field reliable mixed-reality equipment that enhances soldier awareness and mission planning. For the technology firms involved, the contracts represent a shift from consumer markets to defense applications, where timelines are long and budgets remain substantial.
Meta’s Record on Content and Advertising
While Meta’s role in the combat goggles project signals a deeper move into defense technology, the company’s broader record on ethical and moral decision-making remains under scrutiny. Over the past several years, Meta has faced repeated criticism for how it moderates content and manages political advertising, particularly during armed conflicts.
Human Rights Watch and Access Now documented widespread suppression of pro-Palestinian voices during the Gaza genocide by Israel, including removals and account suspensions affecting journalists and activists. In 2024, nearly 200 Meta employees signed an open letter criticizing what they described as systemic censorship of Palestinian content. A lawsuit filed by former Meta engineer Ferras Hamad further alleged discrimination after he raised concerns about mislabeling Gaza-related posts.
The company has also been accused of allowing ads that sought donations for Israeli military campaigns, including equipment such as drones. Reports from The Guardian, Euronews, and Al Jazeera found that dozens of ads linked to the Israeli Defense Forces remained active on Meta platforms, even when they appeared to breach internal advertising rules.
Taken together, these controversies have reinforced perceptions of inconsistency in Meta’s enforcement of its own policies, raising questions about how its role in defense projects will be viewed in light of its track record in global conflicts.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
Read next: Former WhatsApp Security Head Sues Meta Over Employee Access to Sensitive User Information
The Army’s new program will build on the earlier Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), a multibillion-dollar initiative first led by Microsoft. That effort, despite heavy investment, faced criticism from within the military and was eventually transferred to Anduril. Since taking over, Anduril has restructured the initiative under the name Soldier Borne Mission Command, drawing on years of test data and soldier feedback.
According to available information, the new phase will use more than 260,000 hours of input gathered during the IVAS program. The Army has already committed over $1.3 billion to research, prototypes, and testing in this area, making the current contracts part of a long-running strategy rather than an isolated deal.
The collaboration also marks a renewed partnership between Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, now running Anduril. The two had previously pursued consumer-focused virtual reality projects but are now applying their experience to defense contracts. Bloomberg reported that Meta was included as a partner in Anduril’s proposal, although the company has not disclosed financial details of its share.
Rivet Industries, a defense technology firm led by a former Palantir executive, was also awarded a contract. The company said its deal is valued at around $195 million, suggesting that multiple prototypes will advance in parallel before the Army settles on a final system.
For the Army, the goal remains unchanged that is to field reliable mixed-reality equipment that enhances soldier awareness and mission planning. For the technology firms involved, the contracts represent a shift from consumer markets to defense applications, where timelines are long and budgets remain substantial.
Meta’s Record on Content and Advertising
While Meta’s role in the combat goggles project signals a deeper move into defense technology, the company’s broader record on ethical and moral decision-making remains under scrutiny. Over the past several years, Meta has faced repeated criticism for how it moderates content and manages political advertising, particularly during armed conflicts.
Human Rights Watch and Access Now documented widespread suppression of pro-Palestinian voices during the Gaza genocide by Israel, including removals and account suspensions affecting journalists and activists. In 2024, nearly 200 Meta employees signed an open letter criticizing what they described as systemic censorship of Palestinian content. A lawsuit filed by former Meta engineer Ferras Hamad further alleged discrimination after he raised concerns about mislabeling Gaza-related posts.
The company has also been accused of allowing ads that sought donations for Israeli military campaigns, including equipment such as drones. Reports from The Guardian, Euronews, and Al Jazeera found that dozens of ads linked to the Israeli Defense Forces remained active on Meta platforms, even when they appeared to breach internal advertising rules.
Taken together, these controversies have reinforced perceptions of inconsistency in Meta’s enforcement of its own policies, raising questions about how its role in defense projects will be viewed in light of its track record in global conflicts.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
Read next: Former WhatsApp Security Head Sues Meta Over Employee Access to Sensitive User Information
