GM DEFENSE

GM DEFENSE offers sneak peek of advanced mobility solutions for 2025

As defense and government spending remains pinched, global customers in these sectors have an opportunity to leverage billions of dollars’ worth of commercial investments to support modernization efforts.

From efficient diesel engines to advanced battery and fuel cell-based solutions, commercial-based technologies from businesses like GM Defense, which have been developed, validated, and proven in the commercial market, offer significant value by potentially requiring less upfront investment compared to bespoke solutions. Customers also stand to gain a high level of reliability, quality, and performance, with the ability to scale quickly by leveraging advanced technologies from the commercial market.

Offering Next Generation Capabilities

GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors (GM), will be taking its wares on the road in 2025, starting with the International Defense Exhibition and Conference 2025 in Abu Dhabi. The business will showcase its newly introduced Next Generation Tactical Vehicle for the first time in the United Arab Emirates.

‘Next Gen’ is a diesel-powered solution featuring GM’s advanced battery technology for energy storage, exportable power, and Silent Operations. Based on the Heavy-Duty Chevrolet Silverado, the rugged and durable Next Gen combines GM’s 2.8L Duramax® Turbo-Diesel engine with a 100kWh battery pack that helps deliver fuel demand reduction. The drive motors for the front and rear axles enable Silent Drive and Silent Watch, making the vehicle hard to detect.

A game-changing mobility solution, the vehicle’s diesel engine can charge the battery twice over, allowing the Next Gen to deliver increased range with extended mission duration. Between the internal combustion engine and battery pack, Next Gen offers 300 kWh of total available energy — enough to run tactical operations centers, maintenance points, and to support high-energy-demand sensors, Soldier kit, and much more.

Next Gen also offers active and passive safety features, including roll-over protection, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, four-point seat belt harnesses, as well as 360-degree camera capabilities.

Increasing Agility in a Highly Customizable Solution GM Defense’s light and agile Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) continues to gain interest from global forces. Originally designed for rapid ground mobility to meet U.S. Army requirements, the ISV enables infantry units to position and re-position quickly, increasing their ability to support extended operations in the field.

Air transportable, the ISV leverages the ZR2 off-road variant of the Chevrolet Colorado and features 90 percent commercial-off-the-shelf parts. The proven solution includes Chevy Performance components for enhanced off-road capability. GM Defense will showcase its nine-passenger ISV troop carrier and its Infantry Utility Vehicle (IUV) at IDEX, positioning the solutions as leading contenders to help modernize light forces.

Similar in design to the ISV, the IUV seats up to five passengers with a standard NATO pallet cargo bed in the rear that supports modular mission equipment, such as mortars, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, and loitering munitions.
The ISV and IUV are highly customizable and are offered in different configurations, including a Protected Armor kit, CASEVAC kit, and Enclosure kit.

Integrating Advanced Technologies into Police Pursuit Vehicles

GM Defense leverages GM’s commercial truck platforms, such as the Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Blazer, to offer Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV). The vehicles are uniquely engineered to support the demanding rigors of law-enforcement and on-road patrol.

IDEX attendees will be able to see GM Defense’s Tahoe PPV up close. The Tahoe PPV is powered by a 5.3L Ecotec3 V8 engine, producing 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, and comes with a 10-speed transmission. The vehicle features a heavy-duty, police-rated brake system with 6-piston Brembo front calipers and StabiliTrak® Electronic Stability Control System with traction control.

The Tahoe PPV includes safety features, such as HD Rear Vision Camera, OnStar®-embedded hardware, Automatic Emergency Braking and Rear Park Assist. The vehicle offers surveillance mode interior and exterior lighting calibrations and steering wheel switches for emergency equipment. The PPV package is certified by the Michigan State Police and California Highway Patrol in their yearly testing.

Advancing Defense and Government Mobility

In addition to the mobility solutions above, the Suburban Shield is a next generation covert armored vehicle that provides protected VIP transport. While the vehicle will not make an appearance at IDEX, GM Defense will have these in the UAE region as the Qatar Armed Forces recently ordered the vehicles to replace legacy platforms in their fleet.

Based on GM’s full-size pickup truck and sport utility vehicle architecture, the Suburban Shield features a unique body-on-frame chassis and suspension designed to support increased performance requirements, higher payload capacity, and greater gross vehicle weight over commercial-grade SUVs.

GM Defense also integrates protective armor into the original design, diverging from traditional practices which include dissembling a commercial vehicle and rebuilding it with added armoring. The business’ ground-up approach provides improved quality and performance, while giving customers the sophistication and comfort expected of a GM vehicle.

Embracing modified commercial capability for global defense and government solutions is not just a strategic move, but a necessary one. These organizations will benefit from improved quality, reliability, and maneuverability from cutting-edge technologies and proven practices based on extensive R&D, validation, and testing.

To see some of these solutions up close, please visit GM Defense at IDEX from February 17-21, 2025 at booth 03-A09, Hall 3 or learn more at:

www.gmdefensellc.com