The U.S. Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) is a lightweight, unarmored ground transport built to move fast through terrain where heavier vehicles struggle. Developed by GM Defense — based in Detroit, Michigan — the ISV is designed to carry nine soldiers and their equipment rapidly across environments where the Army’s heavier tactical vehicles become a liability rather than an asset.
The vehicle sits alongside the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) in the Army’s Light Tactical Vehicle fleet. But it occupies a distinct role: where the JLTV and HMMWV prioritize protection, the ISV prioritizes mobility.
Why the Army Needed Something Different
The Army’s previous dependence on HMMWVs and JLTVs — both heavier, better-armored platforms — created a set of operational problems. Speed, cross-country mobility, and air transportability were all areas where the heavier vehicles fell short in certain mission profiles. The ISV was developed as part of the Army’s Transformation in Contact modernization program to address exactly those gaps.
The intended users are Mobile Brigade Combat Teams (MBCTs), Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs), and Army Special Operations Forces — units that often need to move quickly through complex terrain without the logistical footprint that heavier vehicles demand.
A Commercial Platform at its Core
The Army chose a commercial off-the-shelf acquisition approach for the ISV to reduce costs and accelerate fielding. GM Defense’s Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 mid-sized truck served as the baseline platform, with approximately 90% of the ISV’s parts drawn from commercial components. Modifications were made to suspension, structure, and load-carrying capacity.
The result is a vehicle that sits at approximately 17 feet in length, 6.8 feet wide, and 6 feet tall, with a payload capacity near 3,200 pounds. It is roughly comparable in size to the HMMWV but carries less payload than either the HMMWV or JLTV — a trade-off accepted in exchange for the mobility advantages the platform provides.
The ISV is equipped with a Roll Over Protection System (ROPS) and is designed to be transported by C-17 Globemaster, C-130 Hercules, and A-400M Atlas transport aircraft, as well as CH/MH-47 Chinook and CH-53E/K helicopters internally, or sling-loaded under a UH-60 Black Hawk.
Source: Congressional Research Service In Focus IF13092, “The U.S. Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV),” updated April 6, 2026.
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