GM Defense provides US Army with first batch of Infantry Squad Vehicle

After winning a lucrative bid to supply the US Army with agile mobility vehicles earlier this year, GM Defense LLC has now announced that the first batch of Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) have now been delivered. ISVs are expected to bolster US Army's capabilities in a number of conflict zones where quick transportation is crucial for operational success.

GM Defense had won a $214.3 million contract in June to supply the US Army with 649 ISVs and to support production of around 2,065 vehicles with additional authorization over an eight-year period. This was the first major contract award and delivery for GM Defense since the subsidiary was reestablished by its parent company in 2017.

The ISVs are being touted as a crucial component in US Army's covert and overt operations and are based on the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck architecture. There are a number of factors that make these vehicles a solid choice. For starters, these are claimed to be light enough - at 5,000 pounds - to be loaded from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and compact enough to be secured inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. This means these vehicles can be airlifted and transported to any location where they may be required.

Additionally, the ISV leverages 90 percent proven commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) parts, including Chevrolet Performance race components. What this means is that these can be maintained and repaired without much need for special equipment and tools that can often cause delays and ramp up costs.

At the heart of it all is a 186 hp, 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

GM Defense had previously stated that these ISVs are capable of assisting quick ground mobility and can transport up to nine members of an infantry squad.

As such, the ISVs have now begun to be rolled out to the US Army. "One hundred and twenty days from contract award to delivery is a significant milestone, and I am very proud of the team for this accomplishment," said David Albritton, president of GM Defense. “We’re leveraging General Motors’ engineering prowess and immense manufacturing capabilities to bring transformative solutions to the military vehicle market. Our initial success with the ISV shows our commitment to our customer and highlights our unique right to win in the military mobility market."