The U.S. Army is poised to enter future battlefields with its brand-new “combat goggles” as modern fighting becomes more technological and foreign military powers integrate cutting-edge systems to increase combat readiness.
The U.S. Army’s new “mixed reality” glasses are delayed due to technical issues but will be issued to select soldiers in combat and training units in 2023.
Mixed reality glasses are being developed under the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). This approximately $22 billion initiative will provide troops with situational awareness similar to that of a fighter pilot.
Earlier this year, the Eurasian Times had reported that Under Secretary for Procurement Douglas Bush had “cleared the Army to start accepting” some of the 5,000 sets of glasses, spokesman Jamal Beck said in a statement. Until now, its release has been delayed due to concerns about the device’s performance in the absence of more extensive testing.
After successful field trials, the U.S. military is receiving high-tech battle goggles developed by Microsoft Corp.The device has been designed with the specific requirements of close combat in mind, including improving the vision of troops in warfare by expanding the field of view, improving depth perception, and overcoming the limitations of human vision.
Mixed reality (M.R.) is an emerging technology that combines virtual reality (V.R.) and augmented reality (A.R.). The wearer’s surroundings are continuously mapped by cameras built into the displays’ heads. It’s not just on the battlefield where these gadgets are gaining widespread adoption but also gaining traction in gaming.
Each pair of goggles include night vision technology, augmented reality features for training and missions, wireless connectivity to a gun emplacement, and target acquisition. Over the next year, the Army will provide troops from unidentified operational and training units with 5,000 IVAS 1.0 versions and another 5,000 IVAS 1.1 versions.
The Army has spent the past three years tinkering with cutting-edge technology, building from the basic unit of Microsoft’s HoloLens virtual reality goggles to developing a battlefield-ready kit that handles all the high-tech work that officers predict will entail the battle of the future, even for the dismounted soldier.
Virtual and mixed reality is finding application in advanced militaries around the world preparing for close combat and urban warfare. For instance, as noted by EurAsian Times, a recently shared video reveals that Chinese soldiers are utilizing virtual reality to prepare for warfare in populous regions.
Reports from the past have also hinted that China uses simulation and virtual reality for urban combat training. In March of 2021, a PLAN logistical support unit operating under Northern Theater Command used V.R. to practice “wartime fuel support.”
“The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has started to use virtual reality (V.R.) technologies in training, as it allows officers and soldiers to acquire greater combat capacity more efficiently,” said a report by the state daily. Global Times.
The need for U.S. infantry troops to adopt mixed reality combat glasses is all the more pressing as tensions continue to rise in the Indo-Pacific region, with the prospect of a U.S.-China confrontation low but never zero.
With China’s aggressive moves against Taiwan vehemently opposed by the United States, one-on-one combat readiness has become even more important.
What do we know about U.S. Army combat goggles?
The U.S. Army developed IVAS goggles for use by close combat forces. DVIDS has stated in a news release that the new eyewear will improve infantrymen’s awareness of their surroundings.
From the outside, versions 1.0 and 1.1 look comparable. Both have night vision at least as good as most existing systems. The only other goggle having thermal sights in the same device is the Enhanced Night Vision Binocular Device, which has only been supplied to a small number of close combat soldiers. Also, both versions support “passive aiming.”
With the goggles, soldiers can peer around corners, see in the dark, and view tactical information like digital maps. The core of the function of the IVAS goggles is how the new goggles use the signals from the omnidirectional cameras installed on the exterior of the armored vehicles.
According to sources, a rifle-mounted I.R. night vision can allow IVAS to communicate with soldiers’ weapons. Soldiers can aim their weapons while hiding behind the cover or use the scope to scan the area for attackers without being physically hurt by nearby enemies.
Dr. Bruce Jette, a former procurement executive for the Army, told The National Interest that the technology could provide troops with a new, third dimension.
According to Jette, IVAS leverages the HMI to link the visual processing systems of the human brain with software that accounts for human visual nuances, including depth perception and peripheral vision.
Its initial release was scheduled for late 2021, with a target date of September 2022 afterward. According to those responsible, the development of novel approaches to improve the quality of night vision while including the essential cutting-edge aspects of mixed reality for the success of Google justified some delays.
Delivery is expected in 2023, giving soldiers a leg up in the ability to map the locations of many targets at once, determine the general location of hostile forces, and provide the shooter with vital information about the attack’s range and depth. Position of the adversaries.