The U.S. Department of Defense is reaching out to automakers for help.
On July 27, it was reported that the U.S. Army confirmed it has awarded contracts to Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and off-road vehicle manufacturer BC Customs for a new generation of tactical trucks, with deliveries expected next year.
According to the report, the Army plans to purchase around 600 of these tactical trucks. These vehicles won’t just handle battlefield transport—they’ll also serve as “stealth mobile charging stations,” providing energy support for military gear like drones and command-and-control systems.
General Motors has been working on military projects for years, and its version, called the “Infantry Squad Vehicle-Heavy” (ISV-Heavy), is based on the Chevrolet Silverado heavy-duty pickup. The military recently bought some GM prototypes for field testing.
Ford, meanwhile, plans to develop three prototypes based on its F-Series Super Duty heavy-duty pickup. Ford says it’s excited to “roll out several high-performance vehicles to show the U.S. Army and soldiers the value Ford can deliver.”
As noted in the report, with the Russia-Ukraine war and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, top military officials have been pushing automakers and their suppliers to boost defense production capacity. The goal is to leverage the auto industry’s mature manufacturing systems to ease equipment shortages.
Ford’s President and CEO, Jim Farley, said this spring that the company is in talks with the Pentagon on several defense projects. He expects Ford to play a role in bringing key supply chains—like critical minerals and semiconductors—back to the U.S.
Ford stated on July 27 that its existing commercial products already have the capability to meet military needs.
Right now, Ford’s focus with the Pentagon is on supplying ground transport vehicles and strengthening supply chains, while GM is pushing into heavier military equipment, including ammunition manufacturing.
GM has already reached out to defense giant Lockheed Martin about producing weapons parts, and last month announced a framework agreement to ramp up ammunition production collaboration.