Qatar has invested in GM Defense’s Suburban Shield vehicles for the armed forces and special forces command.
The Suburban Shield’s design combines General Motors’ proprietary large pickup truck and sport utility vehicle offerings that incorporate a “high percentage” of commercially-sourced hull and propulsion components.
After delivery, the vehicles will support the Qatari military for operations associated with diplomatic security and VIP transport.
“GM Defense’s next-generation Suburban Shield offers the Qatar Armed Forces unrivaled performance thanks to GM’s advanced technologies,” GM Defense President Steve duMont stated.
“We engineered the Suburban Shield from the ground up as a protected vehicle using GM’s world-class process and tools to deliver the reliability and quality expected from a GM vehicle.”
“We’re confident the vehicle will help the Qatar Armed Forces effectively carry out their important diplomatic security missions and are excited to see Suburban Shield introduce a new level of sophistication to protected vehicles in the region.”
‘One-Of-A-Kind Solution’
GM Defense noted that the Suburban Shield is built with a “new and unique” chassis and suspension for more demanding weight and performance requirements.
Its assembly is aided by the company’s digital engineering and quality management approaches, while the vehicle’s armor architecture is integrated into the model’s base design and manufacturing process, ensuring the system’s safety and performance while meeting commercial standards.
Additionally, the Suburban Shield has independent armoring certification and custom build options to address users’ varying mission profiles.
Alongside Qatar, the vehicle is being produced for the Heavy-Duty Armored Sport Utility Vehicle program of the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.
“Our OEM-provided solution benefits from GM’s world-class technologies, engineering and validation capabilities, and global quality management systems that traditional defense contractors don’t offer,” GM Defense International Business Development VP Bradley Watters said.
“With Suburban Shield, GM Defense delivers a one-of-a-kind solution that outperforms previous generation vehicles. We’re proud to offer this capability to the Qatar Armed Forces that will help replace their legacy platforms.”