General Motors’ military product subsidiary, GM Defense, has announced the completion of the first vehicle in support of the Diplomatic Security Service’s latest Heavy-Duty armored Sport Utility Vehicle (HD SUV) program. GM Defense secured the contract to build the new HD SUVs late last year, which followed an initial development contract secured in 2021. The new HD SUVs will support the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) as well as over a dozen other federal agencies.
GM Defense President Steve duMont (left), Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith (right)
The GM Defense HD SUV, also known as Suburban Shield, is designed to look like a standard commercial vehicle, but includes a range of upgrades to protect occupants from numerous threats. Among the upgrades is a unique body-on-frame chassis and vehicle armor, as well as heavy-duty suspension components to support the extra vehicle weight while meeting the program’s performance requirements. In addition, the new GM Defense HD SUV incorporates “a high percentage” of commercial-off-the-shelf parts, including those for the body, propulsion system, interior, and braking.
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith was given an opportunity to try a Suburban Shield prototype for himself, and praised the armored SUV’s acceleration, handling, and braking.
“You could really feel the stability and performance in the redesigned chassis,” Smith said. “The new HD SUV represents a new cost-effective era in the design and building of these badly needed vehicles to help us carry out our mission to ensure the safe and secure conduct of foreign policy in some of our most challenging and dangerous posts.”
According to GM Defense, the new HD SUV uses “advanced manufacturing tools and techniques to ensure the highest level of quality and to realize cost efficiencies and flexibility, while helping the production team stay on schedule.”
Back in 2021, GM Defense was awarded $36 million by the U.S. Department of State to develop and validate the new HD SUV. Vehicle testing began in July of 2023. In November of 2023, the military product subsidiary was awarded a $300 million contract for a “10-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) full-rate production” agreement to build the new armored SUV.
No Comments yet