GM Defense Completes First Production Vehicles for Diplomatic Security Service
GM Defense has achieved a significant milestone in its partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). The company has finished producing the initial batch of vehicles for the DSS’s new Heavy-Duty (HD) armored Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) program. The event was marked with a celebration at GM Defense’s Manufacturing and Customer Innovation Center in Concord, North Carolina, attended by Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith and other key stakeholders.
The new HD SUV, dubbed the ‘Suburban Shield,’ boasts a distinctive body-on-frame chassis and suspension system. This design was specifically engineered to handle the increased weight and performance requirements of the armored vehicle, ensuring superior durability and safety. Moreover, the vehicle incorporates a high percentage of proven commercial-off-the-shelf parts sourced from General Motors’ global supply chain. This includes components for the body, exterior, propulsion system, interior, and brakes, enhancing the vehicle’s reliability and minimizing maintenance needs.
“Our Suburban Shield significantly enhances the quality, performance, and safety that is essential to the Diplomatic Security Service and provides our nation’s senior diplomats and their supporting teams a vehicle that enables their important mission for diplomacy and national security,” said Steve duMont, GM Defense president.
Smith, who had the opportunity to test drive the prototype, praised the vehicle’s performance. “It had good acceleration, handled better in the turns and the heavy-duty anti-lock braking system was far superior to our aftermarket vehicles. You could really feel the stability and performance in the redesigned chassis. The new HD SUV represents a new cost-effective era in the design and building of these badly needed vehicles to help us carry out our mission to ensure the safe and secure conduct of foreign policy in some of our most challenging and dangerous posts.”
GM Defense leverages advanced manufacturing tools and techniques to guarantee the highest level of quality and to achieve cost efficiencies and production flexibility. This approach ensures the production team stays on schedule and delivers vehicles meeting stringent requirements.
GM Defense was awarded the contract to provide support for the DSS’s next generation HD SUV program last year. The program is designed to serve not only DSS but also over a dozen other federal agencies. This initiative underscores the versatility and reliability of GM Defense’s vehicles in meeting the diverse needs of national security and law enforcement agencies.
