GM Defense delivers first infantry military vehicle
Army receives ISV 120 days after subsidiary wins contract
The Army on Tuesday received the first Infantry Squad Vehicle made by GM Defense LLC, just 120 days after winning the contract.
GM formed GM Defense in 2017. This vehicle is the first major contract the wholly owned subsidiary has won and it’s key to the future growth of GM Defense. It shows the U.S. government how GM Defense can use GM’s technologies on military vehicles.
“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.
The Infantry Squad Vehicle, or ISV, is based on the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 pickup and uses 90% commercial components. It is designed for rapid ground mobility and carrying a nine-soldier infantry squad.
GM Defense will make 649 ISVs, which it will deliver by fiscal year 2024, and it will support the production of up to 2,065 vehicles as it gets additional authorization over the eight-year contract.
GM Defense will make the first 27 ISVs at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. Then production will move to a facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, where higher volumes can be achieved.
In June, the Army awarded GM Defense the $214.3 million contract for the ISV after beating out two finalists.
Neither Ford Motor Co. nor Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has a similar business arm dedicated to the military. But both do general business with the government, including the military.
GM defense is eyeing at least three more bids that carry big paydays if GM wins them.
One of those is the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that is in production with Oshkosh Defense, a tactical vehicle maker. That contract was put up for bid in mid-June.
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV, is the new and improved High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, more commonly called a Humvee. The JLTVs offer superior crew protection and enhanced performance compared with the old Humvee.
The military wants 49,099 JLTVs, Jeff Ryder, vice president of growth and strategy for GM Defense, told the Free Press earlier this year. Oshkosh built the first 15,000, but there will be a contract to build the other 34,099, Ryder said, “and that’s the part we’re looking at.”
GM Defense is conducting a review to determine whether it has what it takes to win the JLTV contract. The Army’s request for proposal is due in February 2022. It is expected to award the contract in September of that year, Ryder said.
It’s a monumental contract worth $14.5 billion to be paid out over the course of 10 years as vehicles are delivered.
The most lucrative targets for GM Defense are the Defense Department’s tactical and combat vehicles areas. But GM Defense is also considering work with other government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security, and even foreign military.