Duty Armored Sport Utility Vehicles
GM Defense, part of General Motors Co. in Detroit, has completed production of the first vehicles in support of the Diplomatic Security Serviceâ€TMs Heavy-Duty armored Sport Utility Vehicle (HD SUV) program. DSS is the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Department of State.
GM marked the milestone event with Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith and other key stakeholders at GM Defenseâ€TMs Concord, North Carolina-based Manufacturing and Customer Innovation Center.
GM Defenseâ€TMs HD SUV solution, the Suburban Shield , features a new design with a unique body-on-frame chassis and suspension to support increased vehicle weight and performance requirements.
The vehicle includes a high percentage of proven commercial-off-the-shelf parts from General Motorsâ€TM global supply chain, including the body, exterior, propulsion, interior, and brakes, for added reliability.
"Our Suburban Shield significantly enhances the quality, performance, and safety that is essential to the Diplomatic Security Service and provides our nationâ€TMs senior diplomats and their supporting teams a vehicle that enables their important mission for diplomacy and national security," says Steve duMont, president of GM Defense.
Smith says he "had the opportunity to try out the prototype. 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 uses advanced manufacturing tools and techniques to ensure the highest level of quality and to realize cost efficiencies and flexibility, while helping the production team stay on schedule.
GM Defense won the contract to support DSSâ€TM next generation HD SUV last year. The program is intended to support DSS, in addition to more than a dozen other federal agencies.
