GM Defense Builds the First HD Suburban that is Designed to be an Armored Vehicle

The U.S State Department has ordered the custom-designed vehicles that look like the Chevrolet Suburban but are built like HD trucks.

GM Defense has built its first Heavy Duty Chevrolet Suburbans for the U.S. State Department. The vehicles that were unveiled today will be delivered to the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The heavy-duty armored vehicles will be used to protect members of the State Department and other dignitaries. The Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith was on hand for the unveiling at the GM Defense’s Concord, North Carolina, Manufacturing and Customer Innovation Center. The vehicles look like Chevrolet Suburbans but are based on the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2.

“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.”

The Suburban Shield is GM Defense’s HD SUV

The HD SUV is now called the Suburban Shield. It features a body-on-frame chassis and heavy-duty truck suspension to support the weight of the armor plating and performance requirements. The vehicle includes a mixture of Chevrolet SUV and heavy-duty truck parts, including the body, exterior, propulsion, interior, and brakes. Because GM has global service centers, the vehicles should be easy to repair and maintain, no matter where in the world they are being deployed.

The GM Defense HD Suburban Shield breaks from previous tradition and builds the protective armor into the original design and manufacturing process. In the past, the vehicles were built and then sent to an upfitter to have the armor added. The new manufacturing process provides superior vehicle performance while shortening the build time.  The heavy-duty truck suspension with great off-roading capability means that the HD SUVs will be more maneuverable in potentially dangerous situations.

“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.

$300 Million Dollar Contract for Suburban Shield SUVs

GM Defense won the $300 million dollar contract to build the DSS’ next generation HD SUV last December.  The program is intended to support DSS, in addition to more than a dozen other federal agencies.

As I reported then, “Some of the most agile on and off-road vehicles on the market today are heavy-duty trucks, like the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2. Automakers have developed special suspensions and underpinnings that take these vehicles virtually anywhere. When GM Defense recently announced that it was awarded a U.S. Department of State contract for next generation of armored heavy-duty sport utility vehicles, it became clear that these next generation vehicles, will be heavy-duty luxury trucks disguised as Chevrolet Suburban SUVs.”

Suburban Shield’s body-on-frame chassis and suspension is designed to specifically support increased performance, like being able to travel at high speeds and being able to stop quickly despite being weighed down by armor plating. The HD Suburbans must be able to quickly take evasive action in potentially hostile territory.  

GM Defense isn’t saying exactly where the Suburban Shield is being marketed worldwide but a number of different governments are reportedly interested.

GM Defense Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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