USSOCOM Seeks Helmet Display for Drone Control
Special Operations Command wants industry input on a ballistically protected head-mounted display that can also control unmanned systems.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military
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U.S. Special Operations Command posted a sources sought notice on November 9 seeking a helmet-mounted display with a 50-degree field of view, certified ballistic protection, head tracking, and built-in control of unmanned systems. The effort is market research rather than a solicitation, and industry responses are due by 3 p.m. Eastern time on December 1.
Why it matters
The request reflects the growing role of first-person-view drones in small-unit combat, where operators often fly with goggles that block their surroundings. A helmet display that integrates drone control with protective equipment would address that gap, though the command has not disclosed a budget, quantity, or fielding date.
The requested display's 50-degree field of view falls between the 40-degree AN/PVS-14 night vision device and the 60-degree redesigned IVAS 1.2 display. The command has not disclosed a budget, quantity, or fielding date.
The players
U.S. Special Operations Command
The unified combatant command responsible for special operations forces across the military services, which issued the market research request for the helmet display.
Anduril
A defense technology company that was awarded the Army's IVAS program in April 2025, which was renamed Soldier Borne Mission Command, and plans to deliver 170 phase-two prototypes.
The details
Companies respond through Vulcan, the command's online platform for scouting industry technology, and the notice asks how they would handle requirements reviews, design reviews, development testing, and prototype deliveries. The display must overlay real-time tactical information from the Android Tactical Assault Kit and work with existing helmets, radios, power hubs, and ATAK devices.
Timeline
November 9, 2026: USSOCOM posted the sources sought notice on the federal contracting website.
December 1, 2026: Industry responses are due by 3 p.m. Eastern time.
Roadmap
The request follows the Army's IVAS program, which was awarded to Anduril in April 2025 and renamed Soldier Borne Mission Command. Special Operations Command's focus on integrating drone control and ballistic protection marks a shift toward the battlefield demands of first-person-view drones seen in Ukraine.
Companies that want to supply the command must submit responses through the Vulcan platform before the December 1 deadline. For soldiers, the outcome could determine whether future helmet displays can safely handle drone control while protecting against ballistic threats.
The takeaway
Defense buyers are looking for equipment that combines drone control, head tracking, and ballistic protection in one platform. Whether that effort produces a fielded product will depend on the program's budget and prototyping results.
What happens next
Industry responses to the market research notice are due by 3 p.m. Eastern time on December 1, 2026, and any downselect for the Soldier Borne Mission Command effort is possible in fiscal 2028.
Further reading
For more on the armed forces' equipment programs, see the Military section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Defence Blog.
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