CONCORD,
N.C., Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GM Defense
has completed production of the first vehicles in support of the
Diplomatic Security Service's 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 Defense's Concord, North
Carolina-based Manufacturing and Customer Innovation
Center.
GM Defense's 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 Motors' 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 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.
"I had the opportunity to try out the prototype," Smith said.
"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 DSS' next generation HD
SUV last year. The program is intended to support DSS, in
addition to more than a dozen other federal agencies.
For more information, please
visit www.gmdefensellc.com and follow us
on LinkedIn.
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SOURCE GM Defense LLC