Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 31, 2021

Soldiers wearing the Integrated Visual Augmentation System while mounted in a Stryker vehicle in Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Washignton, February 2021 © US Army / Courtney Bacon 

CNBC: Microsoft wins U.S. Army contract for augmented reality headsets, worth up to $21.9 billion over 10 years 

 * Microsoft will deliver to the U.S. Army more than 120,000 devices based on its HoloLens augmented reality headset. 

 * The deal, which could be worth as much as $21.88 billion over 10 years, follows a contract Microsoft received to build prototype headsets for the Army.

 * The contract comes a year and a half after Microsoft won a cloud contract from the Pentagon that could be worth up to $10 billion. 

The U.S. Army said Wednesday that Microsoft has won a contract to build more than custom HoloLens augmented reality headsets. 

The contract for over 120,000 headsets could be worth up to $21.88 billion over 10 years, a Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC. 

Microsoft shares moved higher after the announcement. The stock was up 1.7% to $235.77 per share at the end of Wednesday’s trading session. 

The deal shows Microsoft can generate meaningful revenue from a futuristic product resulting from years of research, beyond core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. 

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 Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 31, 2021 

Microsoft wins $22 billion deal making headsets for US Army -- AP 

Microsoft Wins Enormous Contract to Supply HoloLens for Combat Soldiers, US Army Says -- Sputnik 

The US military must plan for encounters with private military companies -- Brookings 

Russian and U.S. military chiefs of staff hold phone call -- Reuters 

US Army enters final phase of development before kicking off Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program -- Defense News 

Army Awards $50 Million Contract for New Special Operations Sniper Rifle -- Military.com 

Navy’s Aviation Boss Lays Out Big Vision For Drone-Packed Carriers Of The Future -- Warzone/The Drive 

USS Tripoli prepares for sea trials after fitting-out tests -- UPI 

Military Using Alternatives to Suez Canal In Middle East -- US Department of Defense 

Lawmakers anxious over lack of Pentagon picks -- Politico 

Senators press for answers in Space Command move decision -- The Hill 

Biden’s infrastructure plan includes billions to develop emerging tech the military needs -- CrISRNet 

A Good Battery Is the Best Defense Against a Military Assault -- WSJ 

Defense contractor Cubic Corp accepts proposal to go private -- The Hill 

Military-wide stand downs expected to be complete by Thursday -- UPI 

Reversing Trump, Pentagon releases new transgender policies -- AP 

US military’s new transgender policy will pay troops’ transition bills – reports -- RT 

Marines Under Investigation After Ammo, Explosives Reportedly Go Missing at Pendleton -- Military.com 

Video: Fort Bragg Issues Plea as Reports of Equipment Theft Surge at US Military Installation -- Sputnik 

DoD Spent Hundreds of Millions on Air Transport in Afghanistan -- But Didn't Ask Allies for Repayment -- Military.com 

Massive ‘Mobility Guardian’ exercise to practice humanitarian aid response -- Air Force Times 

Dutch ship to join British carrier strike group in first deployment -- UPI 

NATO scrambles jets 10 times to track Russian military planes across Europe -- CNN 

NORAD Tracks 2 Russian Spy Planes That Entered Alaskan Air Defense Zone -- Miltiary.com/Medill News Service 

Moscow offered to restore military contacts within Russia-NATO Council -- TASS 

China's Relationship With Myanmar's Military: It's Complicated -- NPR 

China's Military Preparing for U.S. Intervention in Taiwan Strait -- Newsweek 

The Chinese Military Might Not Be in Control of Escalating Crises -- Foreign Policy 

Japan, Indonesia Sign Defense Deal Amid Beijing's Maritime Expansion -- Radio Free Asia

Australia to build guided missiles to boost defense capacity -- AP 

Brazil military chiefs quit as Bolsonaro seeks their support -- AP