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GM Defense’s Infantry Squad Vehicle wins $214M U.S. Army contract

In 2003, Common Motors bought its protection division to Common Dynamics. In 2017, seeing renewed alternative to place its business improvements to army use — and with the army newly eager on utilizing business know-how for army functions — GM created the wholly owned subsidiary GM Protection (GMD). In 2019, GMD turned considered one of three finalists for the U.S. Military’s request for an Infantry Squad Car (ISV), its entry stated to make use of 70% off-the-shelf parts and successfully be a Colorado ZR2 “from the waist down.” Final week, the U.S. Military Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal notified GMD that it gained the ISV contract. The preliminary time period pays $214.3 million for a primary procurement of 649 automobiles, however the Military’s already been authorised to amass 2,065 of the vans over the following decade. Supply of the primary 649 will apparently be unfold over the following 5 years, 1,070 over the following eight years.

Contract specs known as for an ISV weighing not more than 5,000 kilos, capable of carry 9 troopers and kit at freeway speeds in excessive situations on and off-road, capable of be slung below a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, and with a footprint sufficiently small to slot in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Engineers turned a Colorado into large roll cage with skid plates, powered by the two.8-liter diesel four-cylinder making about 20% extra energy than inventory, shifting via a six-speed automated. Underbody plating protects delicate bits just like the engine, and entrance and rear mounts for the long-travel Multimatic DSSV dampers. 

9 troopers occupy two seats in entrance, three within the second row, two-rear going through seats in a 3rd row, and two extra outward-facing seats in a fourth row on the again, behind the rear axle. Their gear will get stowed within the house between the third and fourth rows, strapped to webbing that varieties the roof over the ostensible cabin, or slung from the quite a few gusset apertures via the roll cage construction. Chevy Efficiency’s expertise racing the Colorado greater than 10,000 miles within the Greatest within the Desert undoubtedly got here in useful when the Military examined prototypes on the Aberdeen Proving Floor.

After GMD turned a finalist, it partnered with Ricardo Protection on logistics and fielding necessities. The ultimate product is extra on a regular basis than earlier than, the GMD ISV now stated to comprise “90% business off-the-shelf components,” easing upkeep and provide chain points. 

In 2019, GM Protection President David Albritton informed the Detroit Free Press that the unit has large plans for working with the army, particularly if it gained this contract. “[The ISV] platform can be utilized for worldwide gross sales to different army, different authorities businesses like Border Patrol, the Marine Corps, Air Power and Particular Forces,” as a result of totally different variants “could be a very totally different contract.” Past the ISV, GM Protection can be engaged on lead-follow convoys with a manned automobile main a fleet of autonomous automobiles, hydrogen-fuel cell powerplants for submarines, remote-controlled army robots, “and probably a militarized model of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt automobile.”

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