GM Defense LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors (GM), announced its Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) completed the 2023 UAE Armed Forces Summer Trials hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Maintenance Corps.
Held over several days, Summer Trials evaluates whether vehicles can meet the technical and tactical needs of UAE Armed Forces and other regional countries. The UAE continues its evaluation post-vehicle exercise to officially recognize completion status. The ISV received certification of completion stating the vehicle successfully passed Summer Trials following both phases of evaluation.
This was GM Defense’s first time sending a vehicle to UAE Summer Trials, and our successful completion is a testament to the strength of our ISV and to the expertise and dedication of our team.
Through completion of all phases, we’ve demonstrated that we can successfully leverage the advanced technologies of our parent company, General Motors, to deliver a highly capable off-road vehicle that can meet the needs of defense and government customers in the UAE and throughout the region. Our Summer Trial achievements are a key step forward in our planned growth in the region as we seek to offer the ISV and its variants to this important customer base.
Steve duMont, GM Defense president
Our completion of Summer Trials is a tremendous accomplishment for the ISV program and will give defense and government customers in the region great confidence in the capabilities GM Defense can deliver to meet mission requirements.
I was on the ground with other ISV team members, supporting the vehicle as it traveled in deep soft sand, hard-packed surfaces and over rocks, successfully completing eight consecutive days of testing in extreme heat (132 degrees Fahrenheit/56 degrees Celsius). Completing all phases of the mobility and maintenance trial will help open the doors to new growth in the Emirates.
Bradley Watters, vice president of International Business Development
The completion of UAE Summer Trials follows GM Defense’s announcement of a signed cooperative agreement with Tawazun Council at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in February 2023. The agreement facilitates business with the shared objective of delivering efficient and advanced solutions to military, security and government customers from the UAE and across the region in key technology areas of integrated vehicles; power and propulsion — including fuel cell and power generation; and autonomy and connectivity.
Source: GM Defense news release