Anduril's AI wearables launch brings Palmer Luckey and Mark Zuckerberg's relationship full circle

Core Insights - Anduril Industries has launched a new suite of vision products for soldiers called EagleEye, which includes helmets, visors, and glasses that overlay battlefield information using AI technology [1][3] - The company is collaborating with Meta Platforms, OSI, Qualcomm Technologies, and Gentex Corporation to enhance the EagleEye product line with expertise in augmented reality and ballistic helmets [2] - Anduril's valuation reached $30.5 billion in June, highlighting its significant role in the defense tech sector and attracting investment from Silicon Valley [3] Product Development - EagleEye will utilize Lattice, Anduril's AI software platform, to provide real-time information to soldiers [1] - The partnership with Meta allows Anduril to access advanced waveguide and display technology, as well as virtual reality intellectual property developed at Oculus [5] - The supply chain for the technology is primarily US-based, aligning with military goals to reduce dependency on China [9] Market Context - Anduril has taken over the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program from Microsoft, which faced challenges in its development [10][11] - The US Army awarded Anduril a $159 million contract for the Soldier Borne Mission Command program, which will prototype the EagleEye system [10] - Previous iterations of military smart goggles faced significant issues, including performance failures and user discomfort, which Anduril aims to avoid with its new technology [11][12]