Ford, GM Defense and BC Customs vie for Army's Heavy Infantry Squad Vehicle contract

Ford, GM Defense and Utah-based BC Customs have each been tasked with building prototypes for the U.S. Army’s Heavy Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV-H) program, with deliveries due by March 2027.

The U.S. Army has awarded firm-fixed-price Other Transaction Agreements to Ford, GM Defense and BC Customs to develop prototypes for the Heavy Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV-H) program, with a March 30, 2027 deadline for delivery. Each company must produce three vehicles, resulting in a nine-vehicle test fleet that will undergo limited developmental testing with the Army Test and Evaluation Command. Requirements include six seats, a 4,000-pound payload, 6,500-pound towing capacity, 260-mile range on three-quarters of a tank, fording capability up to 30 inches, and the ability to export 60 kW of continuous high-voltage DC power for directed-energy or counter-drone systems.

The Army also demands a comprehensive “right-to-repair” manual detailing disassembly, inspection, and reassembly procedures. Ford will modify its F-Series pickup, GM Defense a militarized Chevrolet HD 3500, and BC Customs is expected to supply a defense-grade off-road vehicle. The eventual award could cover at least 600 ISV-H units, with the FY27 budget estimating an initial order of 34 vehicles at $463,000 each, potentially delivering over $277 million to the contract winner.