Mathias Busekist
The two are joining forces.
Meta Platforms, Inc. is bidding for a major U.S. Army contract to develop advanced augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) wearables in partnership with defense technology firm Anduril Industries, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The project, codenamed EagleEye, is part of a broader $22 billion military modernization initiative focused on outfitting soldiers with next-generation wearable technology.
Though the $100 million contract for EagleEye has yet to be officially awarded, Meta and Anduril are considered key players in the competition. Anduril, founded by Oculus VR co-creator Palmer Luckey, is the lead vendor on the Army’s overall wearable tech program.
The proposed devices under EagleEye include AR- and VR-enabled helmets, glasses, and other gear equipped with advanced sensors designed to enhance a soldier’s situational awareness. These sensors are expected to augment vision and hearing, offering capabilities such as detecting drones from miles away or identifying hidden threats on the battlefield.
In a statement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the collaboration aims to “protect our interests at home and abroad,” emphasizing the role of cutting-edge AI in bolstering national defense. The wearables will integrate Anduril’s autonomy software and Meta’s artificial intelligence models, enabling soldiers to interface directly with AI-powered weapon systems and real-time battlefield analytics.
“This is the kind of technology that defines the future of defense,” said Luckey, who has become one of the most prominent figures in the military-tech space. Over the past several years, Anduril has secured more than $6 billion in global government contracts and formed alliances with major technology firms.
Speaking to CBS News, Luckey reflected on Big Tech’s growing embrace of defense work. “I have successfully persuaded not just Meta but many others that working with the military is important,” he said. Reaffirming his often controversial views, he added, “I’ve always said that we need to transition from being the world police to being the world gun store.”
The project also marks a notable reunion between Meta and Luckey. A decade ago, Luckey co-founded Oculus VR, which Meta (then Facebook) acquired in 2014. His tenure ended in 2017 following reports that he donated to a group promoting anti-Hillary Clinton memes on roadside billboards. In recent years, however, Zuckerberg and Luckey appear to have reconciled, with Luckey joking to the Journal, “I finally got all my toys back.”
Both Luckey and Zuckerberg have maintained close ties with former President Donald Trump. Luckey, a vocal supporter, remarked that Anduril “did well under Trump in his first administration” and predicted, “we’re going to do even better now.”