GM Defense wants to win the Army's Infantry Squad Vehicle contract

[kscarbel2]

AutoBlog  /  November 17, 2019

AM General just bandied its Jeep Gladiator Military-Grade Truck (MXT) at the Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Association of the U.S. Army a few days ago. Now, General Motors Defense presents its entry based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 at the same gathering, while overseas, Ricardo worked a martial transformation on the Ford Ranger for the British Army.

The GM Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle is competing to win an Army contract for 651 ISVs slated for production over the next five years. The contract specs call for a vehicle capable of carrying nine solders and gear at highway speeds in extreme conditions on and off-road, light enough to sling-load under a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, and with a footprint small enough to fit in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.  

Starting with the Colorado ZR2 helps keep costs down, another cost-efficient measure being that 70 percent of the Colorado ISV's components come from the GM parts bin. Looking like a scaled-up side-by-side, engineers turned the Colorado into a giant roll cage with skid plates, powered by the 2.8-liter diesel four-cylinder with 186 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, shifting through a six-speed automatic. Underbody plating shields everything from the engine to the front and rear mounts for the long-travel Multimatic DSSV dampers. Proving out dynamic prowess off-road partly explains Chevrolet Performance having run more than 10,000 racing miles in the Best in the Desert series.

Nine troops grab two seats in front, three in the second row, two-rear facing seats in a third row, and two more outward-facing seats in a fourth row at the back, behind the rear axle. Their gear gets stowed in the space between the third and fourth rows, strapped to webbing that forms the roof over the ostensible cabin, or slung from the numerous gusset apertures through the roll cage structure. 

The Colorado prototype will compete with similar looking entries from Oshkosh/Flyer Defense and SAIC/Polaris on the contract expected to be decided next March. And for any who wonder, the SAIC in question is an American company, Science Applications International Corporation, headquarted in Reston, Va. The Army has already awarded all three entries $1 million prototyping contracts to develop their ISVs ahead of the contract deadline, with testing to begin next month at the branch's Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Meanwhile, over the pond, Ricardo took Europe's bestselling pickup, the Ford Ranger, and turned it into a prototype "general purpose utility vehicle for defense, policing, security and rescue services roles." The English engineering firm already makes the Land Rover Defender 110-based Weapons Mount Installation Kit (WMIK) and builds the General Dynamics Foxhound in use by the British Army. The same Polaris Government and Defense that's working with SAIC on the U.S. Army ISV provided assistance on development work. 

For the Ranger, Ricardo started with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost diesel Ranger putting out 210 hp and 368 lb-ft. shifting through a 10-speed automatic. From top to bottom there's a ring-mounted weapon system in a roll cage over the bed, similar to that on the WMIK, armored glass, four-point harnesses for all occupants, lightweight yet heavy-duty bumpers, rock sliders, NATO infrared reflecting (IRR) paint, ballistic underbody armor for the radiator, engine, and fuel tank. The 24-volt electrical system's been upgraded to provide reliable power and electromagnetic compatibility for operational theaters. The bed holds at least seven jerry cans, and options include rollover protection and beefier suspension, brakes and wheels.

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[kscarbel2]

 

[TS7]

I think for $1 million TS7 Defense could update a 1951 Dodge M-37 and it would do a better job for less than any of these things. 

[Maxidyne]

And for that kinda money we taxpayers should at least get some doors!

[TS7]

TS7 Defense update on the M-37 will come with doors, but for extra $250,000.00 will do one without.

[h67st]

22 hours ago, Maxidyne said:

And for that kinda money we taxpayers should at least get some doors!

And some front fenders to keep rocks out of the passengers' faces.

[hatcity]

I can see the county "jump out boys" in that Ford

[kscarbel2]

GM Defense lands $214 million Army contract

Automotive News  /  June 29, 2020

DETROIT -- GM Defense landed a $214.3 million contract to build infantry squad vehicles for the U.S. Army.

Based on the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck's architecture, each vehicle will have "a cargo superstructure powered by a 186-horsepower, 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine, and six-speed automatic transmission," GM said in a statement on Saturday.

The Army authorized the purchase of 649 vehicles and can increase that to 1,070 to reach the full $214.3 million amount. If the Army expands production to 2,065 vehicles, then more dollars would be allotted to the contract.

GM Defense will build and receive payment for 27 vehicles in the first year of the contract. The first eight are due on Oct. 27 for production qualification testing.

Ricardo Defense Inc., which specializes in government defense programs, will partner with GM Defense to "support key product logistics and fielding requirements."

https://www.gmdefensellc.com/site/us/en/gm-defense/home.html

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[Maxidyne]

WTF?

They could have bought a crew cab Colorado, throw on a topper and a few seats back there, and they'd have gotten better than nothing small arms protection and way better weather protection for way less $$$!