A General Motors subsidiary has won a big contract to provide the U.S. army with a mobile troop carrier based off the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 pickup.
The contract for GM Defense LLC, a GM subsidiary, is valued at $214.3 million and was announced by the U.S. Army Contracting Command-Detroit Arsenal, according to a news release Saturday.
The company produced two prototype troop carriers in southeast Michigan, but it’s not yet been announced where the production version will be built, according to GM Defense spokeswoman Angela Ambrose.
The new Infantry Squad Vehicle is designed to provide rapid ground mobility and can carry a nine-soldier infantry squad moving through the battlefield, GM Defense said.
“The (vehicle) is light enough to be sling loaded from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and compact enough to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for air transportability,” the release said.
The vehicles will have an occupant and cargo “superstructure” and be powered by a 186-horsepower, 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic, the company said.
The Army is currently authorized to buy up to 649 vehicles, but the $214.3 million contract would allow it to buy up to 1,070 vehicles from GM Defense over an eight-year period. The Army intends to eventually purchase 2,065 vehicles, so GM could make even more down the road. GM Defense beat out a number of finalists for the contract.
“Winning this Army award is well-deserved recognition for the hard work and dedication of our GM Defense team and their production of a fantastic vehicle. We are confident the (vehicle) will meet and exceed all of our customers’ requirements,” David Albritton, president of GM Defense, said in the release.
In December, Albritton told the Free Press that if the company were to win the contract, it could lead to sales to other entities, including the Border Patrol, Marine Corps and Air Force.
GM Defense is partnering with Ricardo Defense of Troy on the project.
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