GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has officially announced renovations of an existing facility in Concord, North Carolina are now underway in preparation for the production of the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), an all-terrain trooper mover for the US Army. With the capacity to seat up to nine soldiers, the ISV is based on the Chevy Colorado ZR2 architecture and features 90 percent of commercial-off-the-shelf components, including race parts from Chevrolet Performance.
Weighing a total of 5,000 pounds, the ISV is still light enough to be sling loaded from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. It's also small enough to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter. Once on the ground, the ISV features an advanced Rollover Protection System because tipping over in the heat of battle would not end well.
The Army awarded GM Defense the $214 million contract last summer and the first deliveries got underway in October. The new 75,000-square-foot facility will dramatically increase production numbers once it goes online this spring and will ultimately support the manufacturing of up to 2,065 vehicles, if not more, over the course of eight years.
"GM Defense is responsible for the design, engineering and manufacturing of the ISV," said GM Defense President Tim Herrick. "This facility will enable us to meet our customer's timeline for delivery while continuing our journey to bring commercial technologies and transformative mobility solutions to the defense market."
The ISV is powered by the same 2.8-liter Duramax inline-four turbo-diesel engine with 186 horsepower that's optional in the ZR2. Even the six-speed automatic comes from the civilian truck. This powertrain choice not only means ISV engine maintenance will be made easier but also guarantees a sufficient supply chain.
GM Defense also remains committed to developing hydrogen fuel cell technology as a future diesel engine replacement, though that remains several years out. For now, the ISV is expected to begin deployment wherever and whenever America's troops are needed.