Infantry Soldiers here recently went to the front lines of training using what the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) Program Manager refers to as the “better boot.” The ISV is a new concept to allow Army Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers to cover large areas of challenging terrain more quickly and less fatigued by reducing the area usually covered on foot. Infantrymen would also be able to carry enough personal and squad provisions to self-sustain for several days, and the ISV is also transported easily by air assets during air assault and airborne assault missions.
“The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions have been integral to the ISV development. As we gained insight from previous Soldier Touchpoints with these units, we then incorporated lessons learned into the production ISV. We are looking forward to the results of this test and then the subsequent fielding to the first unit equipped, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,” said Maj. Howard VanMatre, ISV assistant program manager, upon completion of the Pilot Test, which is essentially a dress rehearsal prior to the actual Operational Test to follow.
The Initial Operational Test gave Infantry Soldiers the opportunity to put the ISV to the test using their own unit Concept of Operations as they might in a real combat situation. Soldiers were given an opportunity to provide relevant in-person feedback to the Program Manager and Military Evaluators regarding what they think should be sustained or improved upon in future development of the ISV. ISVs provide greater mobility to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. They are designed to move across restrictive terrain, allowing Soldiers to close on an objective with less fatigue and greater readiness. The Army can deliver the vehicle to the field by airdrop or helicopter, increasing the flexibility of Soldiers on the move.
The Infantry Squad Vehicle is a new, lightweight, all-terrain troop carrier designed to modernize Army Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. It is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 architecture, deriving 90 percent of its parts from commercial-off-the-shelf components. The ISV program provides Army Infantry Brigade Combat Teams an additive lightweight vehicle to move Soldiers and their equipment quickly over complex and difficult cross-country terrain. ISV is the Program of Record (PoR) intended to provide Ground Mobility Vehicle capabilities for the Army. Based on the current funding profile and fielding schedule, the Army will field ISVs to 11 Infantry Brigade Combat Teams for a total of 649 ISVs by FY25 (Army Procurement Objective.)
