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 recognise completion status. The ISV received certification of completion stating the vehicle successfully passed Summer Trials following both phases of evaluation. GM Defense’s ISV completed all phases of the Summer Trials, which included travelling nearly 2,000 kilometres across highways, sand dunes, soft sand tracks and rocky walls. The phases, which include continuous driving with maximum payload capacities, are designed to test vehicle capability in rugged combat conditions, including extreme climate and diverse terrain.

“Our completion of Summer Trials is a tremendous accomplishment for the ISV program and will give defence 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 travelled 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,” said Bradley Watters, vice president of International Business Development.

“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 defence 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,” said Steve duMont, GM Defense president.

In addition to the mobility trials, the ISV completed the Maintenance Trial, which included two days of field repairs testing, and maintenance and recovery evaluation to help potential customers assess ease of repairs and sustainability. 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.