The U.S. Department of Defense is reaching out to automobile manufacturers.
According to a report by the American Wall Street Journal on July 27th, the U.S. Army confirmed that it has awarded contracts for new-generation tactical trucks to Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and a off-road vehicle manufacturer named BC Customs. These vehicles are expected to be delivered next year.
According to reports, the U.S. Army plans to purchase approximately 600 of these tactical trucks. These vehicles will not only be used for battlefield transportation but will also be converted into ‘invisible mobile charging stations’, providing energy support for military equipment such as drones and command and control systems.
General Motors has been engaged in research and development on military projects in the United States for many years. The version it introduced is called the "Heavy Infantry Shuttle" (ISV-Heavy). This vehicle is based on Chevrolet Surod heavy pickups, and the U.S. military has recently purchased some General Motors prototypes for field testing.
Ford Motor plans to develop three prototype vehicles based on its F-Series super heavy-duty pickups. Ford says the company expects to “introduce several high-performance vehicles, showing the U.S. Army and soldiers the value that Ford can offer.”
The Wall Street Journal pointed out that in recent years, with the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, senior US military officials have continuously lobbied automobile manufacturers and their suppliers to expand the production capacity of defense industries. They aim to use the established manufacturing system of the automotive industry to alleviate the shortage of military equipment supply issues.
Ford Motor Company President and CEO Jim Farley said this spring that the company is negotiating various defense projects with the Pentagon. He expects Ford to play a role in the “return to America” of key supply chains such as critical minerals and semiconductors.
Ford Motor Company announced on the 27th that its existing commercial production products are capable of meeting the needs of the U.S. military.
Currently, Ford’s cooperation with the Pentagon focuses primarily on providing ground transportation vehicles and strengthening supply chains. General Motors, on the other hand, is seeking to expand into more heavy military equipment, including ammunition manufacturing.
General Motors has engaged in discussions with the American military giant Lockheed Martin regarding the production of weapon components. Last month, both parties announced a framework agreement to strengthen their cooperation in ammunition production.
