GM Defense has been given a significant boost by the U.S. Department of War after its contract to build Chevrolet Colorado-based infantry vehicles has been supplemented by nearly $700 million.
The added funds amount to more than triple the $214 million figure listed in the Army’s original 2020 contract for Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) procurement.
The ISV-U Will Become Safer and More Comfortable for Troops
On September 14, the US Army exercised a $697.7 million modification to its Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) contract. The action, issued through Army Contracting Command-Detroit Arsenal under the program’s original 2020 award, covers engineering changes to the Infantry Squad Vehicle-Utility (ISV-U) and ISV Utility Winch Kit.
The modification brings GM Defense’s vehicle manufacturing contract with the government to a total of $915,597,166, the Department of War said on September 21. That’s pretty close to GM CEO Mary Barra’s $1 billion U.S. Army order estimate she provided on the company’s second-quarter earnings call in July.
GM Defense, which uses the Chevy Colorado ZR2 midsize pickup platform as a basis for the ISV-U, is the prime contract holder for the ISV-U variant and winch solution, company spokeswoman Erica Mitchell told the Detroit Free Press. Besides fitting a winch, the engineering changes in the revised contract include the addition of a windshield, heater and defrost system, as well as options for a full crew enclosure kit.
“The Utility variant is built to support logistics requirements and can integrate multiple mission packages including command and control, fire support, electronic warfare, counter-drone, and other future mission packages,” Mitchell said.
GM Defense Has Also Started Delivering Patriot Missile Components to Lockheed Martin
The Department of War said the estimated completion date of the contract is June 25, 2028. The updated military contract comes not long after GM Defense reached a formal agreement with top military contractor Lockheed Martin to produce missile components.
Lockheed recently confirmed at an event in Dallas on September 17 that GM Defense had already delivered the first mission-critical components for its PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor missile, which is used by the MIM-104 Patriot air and missile defense system.
The ISV is the lightweight, unarmored squad-transport vehicle currently fielded by Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, Security Force Assistance Brigades and special-operations units. The updated contract signals the U.S. Army’s commitment to the ISV platform as light infantry mobility is reshaped for dispersed operations typical of drone warfare.
