The Infantry Squad Vehicle hasn’t been used in combat yet, but it has been field-proven in real-world conditions.
In the deadly, rough-and-tumble world of ground combat, much fame has been conferred upon armored personnel carriers (APCs) and infantry fighting vehicles such as the American-made Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M10 Booker and the Russian-made BMP and BRDM series, and rightfully so.
But there are other vehicles out there that are comparatively unsung, vehicles that don’t have the armament or the armor of the aforementioned weapons systems but still play a vital role in getting troops into the fight. The National Interest now takes a closer look at one such vehicle, the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).
M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle Initial History and Specifications
Built by GM Defense LLC, the M1301 ISV entered into production in 2020, with fielding commencing in 2021. The end result of the U.S. Army’s Ultra Light Combat Vehicle program that began in 2014—renamed the Army Ground Mobility Vehicle program in 2015—it is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and indeed features 90 percent commercial-off-the-shelf parts, thus mostly eliminating the need to reinvent the wheel (literally and figuratively speaking).
As the manufacturer’s official info page proudly proclaims:
“With robust off-road capabilities, the highly reliable ISV significantly improves tactical mobility across a range of military operations. The vehicle is easily maintainable and highly adaptable to meet diverse mission and operational needs … The ISV is uniquely engineered and sized to fulfill U.S. Army requirements for rapid deployment. Offering high performance, reliability and safety upon arrival and mission employment, the ISV is a versatile, expeditionary, ultra-light tactical vehicle.”
The M1301 has the following tech specs and vital stats:
- Crew + Pax: Nine troops
- Mass: 4,930 lbs. (2,236 kg)
- Powerplant: GM Duramax® 2.8L turbo diesel I4 (LWN); GM Hydro-Matic 6L50, 6-speed transmission
- Payload Capacity: 3,200 pounds (1,500 kgs)
- Armament:
As noted by a thirty-three-second Interesting Engineering informational video reshared by MSN, the ISV “fits in CH-47 Chinooks and can be sling-loaded by UH-60 Blackhawks.” In addition, it is amenable to low-velocity airdrop by Lockheed C-130 Hercules or Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
As of April 2023, 300 vehicles had been delivered for fielding in five brigade sets of roughly fifty-nine each. The initial contract, awarded in June 2023, was valued at $214 million for the building of 649 ISVs; the Army’s longer-term goal is to ultimately acquire 2,593 ISVs.
Infantry Squad Vehicle Operational History
The ISV hasn’t been used in combat yet, but that doesn’t mean that the vehicle hasn’t already been field-proven in real-world conditions.
In response to Hurricane Helene in October 2024, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team “STRIKE,” 101st Airborne Division, while carrying out a Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission, used ISVs to facilitate aid to victims in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. The ISVs were transported via internal load in Chinooks and via a 350-mile (563 km) convoy from Fort Campbell, Kentucky to Asheville, North Carolina.
The ISV’s Long-Term Viability?
Some critics contend the ISV would be unsuitable against a “near-peer threat.” The counterpoint to that argument is that the vehicle is intended to act as a troop carrier and not as a fighting vehicle; units are supposed to avoid threats or dismount if engaged rather than fight directly from the vehicles.
Meanwhile, the ISV keeps rolling along, both literally and figuratively; the vehicle won the 2024 Red Ball Express Award from the National Defense Industrial Association, an award (named after a vital World War II logistical operation established by the Allies to ensure a steady and rapid flow of supplies to their advancing forces after the successful Normandy landings in June 1944) that recognizes achievements that strengthen national security by developing, procuring, or supporting tactical wheeled vehicles or related technologies.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr was previously a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ) and 19FortyFive. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). If you’d like to pick his brain further, you can ofttimes find him at the Old Virginia Tobacco Company (OVTC) lounge in Manassas, Virginia, partaking of fine stogies and good quality human camaraderie.
Image: DVIDS.
