GM Defense, the military-industrial division of General Motors, delivered the first batch of ISV (Infantry Squad Vehicle) buggies to the US Army on October 27. The car is capable of transporting a squad of nine soldiers and all their equipment both on and off the roads. In total, the company is building 649 of these machines under a $214.3 million military contract, and deliveries will rise to 2,065 units over the next eight years.
The car was built by the joint efforts of GM Defense and the British engineering company Ricardo plc. Based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 civilian pickup truck. The manufacturer notes that the machine is 90% off-the-shelf commercial parts.
The buggy is equipped with a 189-horsepower 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine. A special rollover protection system is used.
The specification calls for the ISV to be light enough to be airlifted by a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, and compact enough to fit inside a Boeing CH-47 Chinook. All this provides maximum flexibility in the deployment of troops.
The US Army received the first buggy based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
