The Integrated Visual Augmentation System is a program that aims to provide a Heads-Up Display to the dismounted infantryman that provides what I believe to be a massive step in situational awareness that has not been accomplished before, which is providing positioning of every single soldier. If this program delivers, it will provide every infantryman with the locations of friendlies, enemies and objectives, 3D maps, drone controls, maneuvering waypoints, and dozens of other capabilities that are pretty much only limited by the information that you can deliver to the headset.
This all sounds like sci-fi, videogame stuff, and I think that's exactly what's drawn me to following it so closely. I have established this blog to catalog OSINT discoveries I have made about this program, and I hope it serves as a point of reference to those who are likewise interested in it's developments.
Recently, the IVAS program has been delayed, due to reported issues in display fidelity, which Maj Gen. Potts details in this article. A new schedule has been constructed into 2022, with Operational Testing and First Unit Equipped dates near the end of that year. These issues stemmed from faults in display clarity vs FOV and resistance to moisture. This display system is presumed to be an evolution of the laser-scanned diffractive waveguides found in the Hololens 2. As I understand it this tech has never been used in a military device before and in my opinion is the highest technological risk of the program.
As of the time of this post, the IVAS schedule is as follows:
January 2022: IVAS user test of 'new baseline' device, according to a quote by Maj. Gen. Potts in this article.
And according to this official press release, at this link:
May 2022: IVAS Operational Testing
September 2022: IVAS First Unit Equipped
More recently, it has come to my attention that an 'IVAS program update' is to be presented on at the 2021 TAK Offsight on 12/1.
I will be reporting on this when the time comes!
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