Meta Teams Up With Anduril to Develop Next-Gen AR/VR Combat Gear—Because Soldiers Need Lighter Toys

Silicon Valley meets the battlefield as Meta and defense-tech darling Anduril join forces to create featherweight augmented and virtual reality gear for military use. Because nothing says ’efficiency’ like strapping a Zuckerberg-approved headset to a soldier’s face mid-combat.

The partnership aims to ditch clunky hardware—because when you’re dodging bullets, every ounce counts. No word yet on whether the gear will include ads or require a Facebook login.

Anduril’s defense chops pair with Meta’s AR/VR obsession in a move that’s either visionary or a desperate pivot from sinking metaverse stock. Either way, defense contractors win—just like they always do.

The companies are developing a new AI system called EagleEye

The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta and Anduril have jointly bid for an Army virtual-reality contract worth up to $100 million. The companies are developing a system called EagleEye that carries scanners and microphones to sharpen a soldier’s perception in noisy, low-visibility settings. They said they will keep working together whether or not the bid succeeds.

In February 2025, Anduril and Microsoft said the startup would assume control of the software giant’s augmented-reality headset program with the Army, replacing Microsoft’s earlier Integrated Visual Augmentation System effort.

Both firms argue the new alliance will help the Army keep its “technical edge” while saving “billions of dollars” by drawing on parts first designed for civilian gadgets, such as precise screens and advanced chips.

Luckey, now 32, signaled personal satisfaction with the reunion. “I am glad to be working with Meta once again,” he said in the statement. “Of all the areas where dual-use technology can make a difference for America, this is the one I am most excited about.”

Anduril also said in December that it is collaborating with OpenAI to apply large language models and computer vision to “national security missions,” broadening its own portfolio of defense-focused AI tools.

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