Army to test Infantry Squad Vehicle prototypes next month

The Army next month will hold the first assessment of Infantry Squad Vehicle prototypes provided by three contractors chosen for the initial phase of the program -- Oshkosh Defense with Flyer, GM Defense, and Science Applications International Corp. with Polaris.

"The modernized vehicles will provide enhanced tactical mobility for an infantry brigade combat team to move quickly around the battlefield," Steven Herrick, Ground Mobility Vehicle product lead, said in an Army news release. He adds the vehicles will be used for "repositioning operations to provide commanders greater freedom of movement and action."

The release says the Army awarded a "$1 million mock-up contract" on Aug. 23.

The ISV is intended for use by a nine-soldier infantry squad moving within "the close battle area" and is expected to be lightweight and air-transportable.

The Army plans to acquire 651 vehicles over the next five fiscal years: 17 in FY-20, 118 in FY-21, 177 in FY-22, 177 in FY-23 and 162 in FY-24, according to a February industry notice.

The service informed industry in September it had a potential acquisition objective of 2,065 vehicles.

The three contractor teams will deliver their prototypes to Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland on Nov. 13, according to the Army.

"Upon their arrival at the Maryland proving ground, all designs will compete in several performance, operational, and characteristics tests. Evaluations are scheduled to run through December," Herrick said in the release.

The ISVs will then undergo a second round of testing at Ft. Bragg, NC, focused more on operational use.

The Army plans to choose one contractor in the second quarter of FY-20 who will go on to produce the ISVs, according to Herrick.