UAE Armed Forces test US GM Defense's Infantry Squad Vehicle in 2023 UAE Summer Trials.

On March 6, 2024, GM Defense, the defense subsidiary of General Motors, announced the successful completion of the 2023 UAE Armed Forces Summer Trials by its Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The trials, conducted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Maintenance Corps, aim to determine whether vehicles meet the UAE Armed Forces' specific technical and tactical requirements, as well as those of other countries in the region.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) was tested over a variety of terrains, including highways, sand dunes, soft sand tracks, and rocky walls, covering nearly 2,000 kilometers. (Picture source: GM Defense)

The participation of GM Defense in the trials marked the company's first engagement in the event. The ISV was tested over a variety of terrains, including highways, sand dunes, soft sand tracks, and rocky walls, covering nearly 2,000 kilometers. Following the trials, the ISV received a certification, indicating its passage through the evaluation phases. However, the UAE continues to conduct post-trial evaluations to confirm the vehicle's status officially.

The Summer Trials are designed to test vehicle performance under extreme conditions, evaluating their endurance and capabilities while carrying maximum payload capacities across different terrains and in extreme climate conditions. Additionally, the ISV underwent Maintenance Trials, involving field repair testing, maintenance, and recovery evaluations over two days, to assess the vehicle's sustainability and ease of repair.

In February 2023, following the UAE Summer Trials, GM Defense announced a cooperative agreement signed with the Tawazun Council at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference. The agreement is intended to facilitate business operations and deliver solutions to military, security, and government customers in the UAE and the wider region, focusing on integrated vehicles, power and propulsion systems, and technologies related to autonomy and connectivity.

In 2020, the United States Army selected the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), a light utility vehicle based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform, to enhance its operational capabilities. The ISV, which incorporates 90% commercial off-the-shelf parts, is designed to carry nine infantrymen. The vehicle's adaptability for air transportability allows it to be deployed through a variety of military aircraft, including C-17, C-130, and A-400M for low-velocity air drops, as well as internal loads in CH/MH-47 Chinook and CH-53E/K Super/King Stallion helicopters, or as a sling-load under UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

Following a contract awarded in June 2020 for the production of 649 ISVs, the US Army aims to field these vehicles across 11 Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) by 2025, starting with the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. As part of this initiative, vehicles incorporate motorsport technology, with suspension and chassis modifications aimed at enhancing performance. By April 2023, 300 vehicles had been delivered for full-rate production and had been distributed to equip five brigade sets.

The ISV, officially designated as M1301 by the US Army Publishing Directorate, has been developed in standard and all-electric variants, including a variant equipped with a .50 caliber gun, designed to carry five infantrymen. The vehicle features a fully welded aluminum armor body for protection against small arms fire and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) utilizes a GM Duramax 2.8L turbo diesel engine with an output of 186 horsepower, connected to a GM Hydro-Matic 6L50 six-speed transmission and a GM AutoTrac two-speed transfer case. It incorporates a Colorado ZR2 Dana M190 front axle and a Dana M220 rear axle, both equipped with electronic locking differentials and comes with a Roll Over Protection System (ROPS) for safety purposes. GM Defense also offers a variety of kits to adapt the ISV to different mission specifications, which include options for casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), infrared lighting for nighttime operations, and gun mounts for a range of heavy weapons. These modular and customizable kits are intended to facilitate the ISV's deployment across diverse operational environments, supporting both general-purpose units and special operations forces.