GM Defense, the automaker’s producer of military and security vehicles, won the 13th Annual Red Ball Express Award from the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) for its Infantry Squad Vehicle.
The Award – in the Industry category – was presented to GM Defense by the NDIA in late February at the 2025 Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Conference, held in Reston, Virginia.
Named for a World War 2 logistical operation following the Normandy landings, the Red Ball Express Award is awarded annually. It is given to recipients such as companies or subsidiaries that “made significant contributions that led to the strengthening of our national security by developing, procuring, or supporting Tactical Wheeled Vehicles or enabling critical technologies that contribute to the same.”
The GM Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle or ISV can carry up to nine personnel while offering high levels of off-road, cross-country mobility. The vehicle is heavily based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and features a design that incorporates Chevrolet Performance off-road racing components as well as at least 70 percent off-the-shelf parts for easy repair and resupply through the normal GM supply chain.
Following Hurricane Helene, which blasted North Carolina with heavy rain that triggered destructive floods and mudslides, the U.S. Army deployed GM ISVs in the disaster area. Soldiers used the vehicles to bring food and other needed supplies to people in the stricken region.
According to the president of GM Defense, Steve duMont, the Infantry Squad Vehicle proved itself during the Hurricane Helene relief effort. He noted that the ISV “demonstrated its adaptability to meet a wide range of mission needs” and said that it played “a vital role, transforming military mobility with speed, agility, and reliability.”
Steve DuMont
Invoking the name of the award it just received, duMont added that “as with the historic Red Ball Express, the ISV provides modern military mobility to support our troops, allowing them to safely accomplish their important mission.”
Comments
It’s cool looking. But it’s a dopey vehicle. Where are the doors? Even a John Deere ATV appears safer. And those aren’t dispatched to a war zone.
In combat, doors are way more dangerous as the lock you in while under fire.
This thing is more built like the Whilleys JEEP. Light in weight to go over obstacles, and when under fire, everyone bails out to return fire. Maybe a gunner on top with an M.2 provides support fire, but this isn’t a HUMVEE, which is good, as there’s many places the lumbering HUMVEE can’t go, and an unarmored HUMVEE is a slow slug of a vehicle. You would use this for a daily supplies run to avoid wear on MWRAPS and HUMVEES, or as a combat sappier vehicle. Patrol vehicles will be the unarmored slugs. HUMVEES are more of the modern day equivalent of the WW2/Korean war half tracks, not JEEPs.
“The two most dangerous weapons the Germans have are our own armored halftrack and jeep. The halftrack because the boys in it go all heroic, thinking they are in a tank. The jeep because we have so many God-awful drivers.”
– Gen. George S Patton
DOZENS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE SENT TO OUR SOUTHERN BORDER FOR USE BY CBP. TOOLS IN THE HANDS WHO NEED THEM.
What a joke!!! Looks like something you would run to Starbucks in for the Generals on base not the battle field. Looks so weak and a stupid design.
Do those mil spec rear shock skid plates have a GM pn???
Thank goodness it’s not an EV or any type of Tesla product!
They’re many configurations of this vehicle, including EV & hybrid. It’s main advantage is being produced from an originally stock vehicle. Helping to make it safe from DOGE. Creating jobs from NC to CA. Highly approved by the soldiers who use them.