The U.S. Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)

The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)

The ISV (Figure 1) is a lightweight, unarmored ground transport vehicle developed by GM Defense (headquartered in Detroit, MI) intended to enhance the mobility of Army Mobile Brigade Combat Teams (MBCTs), Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs), and Army Special Operations Forces. According to the Army, the ISV was designed to move nine soldiers and their equipment rapidly across terrain where heavier vehicles such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) may be less practical or effective.

Figure 1. Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)

Source: GM Defense, https://www.gmdefensellc.com/site/us/en/gm-defense/home/integrated-vehicles/infantry-squad-vehicle.html, accessed August 25, 2025.

Background

The JLTV, HMMWV, and ISV constitute the Army's Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) fleet. The Army has evaluated the ISV as part of the Army's Transformation in Contact (TIC) modernization program. Previous reliance on HMMWVs and JLTVs, which offered greater protection, reportedly presented challenges in terms of speed, cross-country mobility, and air transport. The Army adopted a commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) acquisition approach for the ISV to minimize costs and field the vehicle quickly. GM Defense's Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 mid-sized truck was chosen as the baseline ISV platform, deriving 90% of its parts from COTS components, with modifications made for suspension, structure, and load‑carrying capacity.

ISV Specifications

The ISV is approximately 17 feet (ft.) in length, 6.8 ft. in width, and 6 ft. in height, with a payload capacity near 3,200 pounds. The ISV is about the same size as the HMMWV, smaller than the JLTV, and has less payload capacity than the HMMWV and JLTV. According to GM Defense, the ISV has a Roll Over Protection System (ROPS) and can be deployed to the battlefield by means of

• a low-velocity air drop by parachute or air landing by C-17 Globemaster, C-130 Hercules, or A-400M Atlas transport aircraft or
• an internal load in a CH/MH-47 Chinook or CH-53E/K Super/King Stallion helicopter or sling-loaded under a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter (Figure 2).

Figure 2. ISV Sling-Loaded Under a UH-60 Helicopter

Source: GM Defense, https://www.gmdefensellc.com/site/us/en/gm-defense/home/integrated-vehicles/infantry-squad-vehicle.html, accessed August 25, 2025.

In correspondence with CRS, GM Defense stated it has a flatbed ISV variant available with either a two- or five-person crew that can be configured for a variety of functions. In addition, although not manufactured or sold by GM Defense, other ISV "kits" are available from third parties to meet buyer use cases, including

• a casualty evacuation kit to externally transport wounded personnel and
• a command-and-control variant.

ISV Development and Testing

In 2018, the Army reportedly developed an ISV acquisition strategy with an estimated requirement for 2,065 vehicles, with production scheduled to start in FY2020. In February 2019, the Army reportedly approved a procurement objective for 651 ISVs and selected GM Defense, an Oshkosh Defense-Flyer Defense team, and a SAIC-Polaris partnership to build two prototypes each, with each team awarded $1 million under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement. In June 2019, the Army awarded GM Defense a $1 million contract to develop two ISV prototypes for testing and evaluation. In June 2020, the Army awarded GM Defense a production contract to build, sustain, and field the ISV, with GM Defense stating,

The total production ISV contract award value is $214.3 million to procure the initial Army Procurement Objective of 649. The approved Army Acquisition Objective is 2,065 vehicles.

On March 30, 2023, the Army approved the ISV's transition to Full-Rate Production (FRP) with a revised Acquisition Objective of 2,593 ISVs. As of April 2023, the Army had accepted more than 300 ISVs and fielded three brigade sets of 59 vehicles, for a fielded total of 177 ISVs.

According to information provided to CRS by the Army, as of November 2025, the following units had received ISVs in the quantities indicated (note: Brigade/Division; ABN = Airborne).

Throughout the ISV's acquisition process, it has undergone a series of operational tests. In 2021, the Department of Defense Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation (DOT&E) published ISV testing observations noting the

ISV was effective as a troop carrier in permissive environments but had limitations in combat roles due to reliability and training concerns.

In 2023, DOT&E provided an updated evaluation:

Following the IOT&E [Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation] conducted in August 2021, the [ISV] manufacturer implemented corrective actions to address reliability and maintainability deficiencies identified in previous testing. The Army conducted reliability compliance testing from June 2022 through January 2023 to validate these corrective actions. The ISV demonstrated a significant improvement to mean miles between system aborts ... when compared to previous testing.... DOT&E's assessment of system effectiveness and survivability were not part of the [ISV's] tactical airborne operation and are unchanged from the December 2021 IOT&E Report.

While the 2021 assessment raised concerns about combat suitability, the 2023 follow-up acknowledged notable improvements in reliability and sustainment, though DOT&E's initial assessment of system survivability remains unchanged.

FY2026 ISV Budgetary Information

In its FY2026 budget request, in the line-item Ground Mobility Vehicles, the Army requested $308.620 million for procurement of 1,275 ISVs and associated equipment.

The House Armed Services Committee-reported Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026 NDAA; H.R. 3838; H.Rept. 119-231) recommended authorizing the requested amount of ISV procurement funding. The Senate Armed Services Committee-reported FY2026 NDAA (S. 2296; S.Rept. 119-39) recommended (in a different line-item) authorizing $34 million more than requested in ISV funding.

The House Appropriations Committee-reported Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 4016; H.Rept. 119-162), recommended $274.172 million less than requested for the ISV line-item. The Senate Appropriations Committee-reported version (S. 2572; S.Rept. 119-52) recommended $62.458 million less than requested in ISV procurement funding, citing "ahead of need," described as program funding available before the funds are required, often due to delays or changes in program schedule.

Army Seeks to Acquire a Heavy ISV Version

On March 30, 2026, the Army released a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) for an Infantry Squad Vehicle - Heavy (ISV-H). Under the CSO, the Army could award up to three contracts for 606 ISV-Hs, although numbers could vary. The Army is interested in ISV-H candidates with exportable power to accommodate MBCT on-the-move command and control systems. The Army is seeking white paper business proposals from potential vendors 10 business days from March 30, 2026.

Potential Oversight Issues for Congress

Potential oversight issues for congressional consideration could include the following:

Potential ISV-H Procurement Considerations

If the Army does procure an ISV-H variant, how might this impact the original ISV program? Would ISV-Hs assume roles originally planned for other ISV variants? Would ISV-Hs have different support and maintenance requirements than the ISV? Would ISV-Hs accommodate other types of weapons and payloads that were too heavy or required more power than the lighter ISV could support?

ISV Operational Range and Sustainment

Though not fully detailed in available reporting, the ISV's operational range, fuel efficiency, and sustainment demands are considered critical by military planners for assessing deployment timelines and resupply requirements. What are the ISV's required operational range, fuel consumption in miles per gallon by terrain type, and operational maintenance requirements? How could these factors affect logistical planning and readiness?

ISV Costs and Logistics

The ISV derives 90% of its parts from COTS components. How does reliance on commercial components affect ISV lifecycle costs and supply chain resilience?

ISV Procurement Quantities

Reportedly, Army leadership believes units will require more ISVs than originally envisioned. A senior Army official stated ISV requirements could increase to 260 ISVs per MBCT and 170 per Light BCT, with those numbers subject to change. Under such circumstances, is the acquisition objective of 2,593 ISVs adequate to support the Army's evolving unit structures? In addition, if the Army does procure ISV-Hs, how might this impact overall ISV requirements in terms of quantities procured?