BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold interviewed Steve duMont, President of GM Defense, a candidate for BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year 2023.
“Tell me about your early years.” The Editor said.
“I was raised in a family that had a long legacy and commitment to military service. My father was a U.S. Marine. His father served as an Army officer in Europe in WWII, and my uncles all served in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. From an early age, I wanted to serve my country as a military aviator. After graduating from Norwich University’s, Military College of Vermont, I entered the U.S. Army to become a military officer and pilot. After graduating first in my class from flight school, I was selected to fly the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and was forward deployed to Europe in the 6th Cavalry, 11th Aviation Regiment where I participated in operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. Following my early operational deployments, I was selected to receive additional training as an AH-64 Instructor pilot. My early career was focused on serving my country and growing my young family.” Steve duMont said,
“Did you see the Army as a long career?”
“I was very focused on serving my country and being part of a cause larger than myself. I didn’t necessarily join to pursue a career as much as to pursue the cause. To me, there is no more noble a cause than to serve our warfighters. I felt that I could do this, both in uniform and then after by developing the solutions that enable our warfighters to perform their mission. Following my Army service, I entered the defense industry in pursuit of a leadership role to help influence the use of advanced technology in military applications. I always felt strongly that it was a team effort between military leadership and the defense industry to ensure our warfighters have the best capability to perform their mission.”
“What did your experience in the U.S. Army teach you?”
“When I was in the Army, I experienced first-hand the critical importance of maintaining the technological advantage over our adversaries. I also gained the operational perspective of how important it is that the systems our warfighters use must work as intended, every time. Since transitioning to industry, I have also witnessed examples of technology becoming outdated or a capability no longer aligned with the current needs of the warfighter due to the long defense acquisition process. A great example is one of the first programs that I worked in industry – the Comanche Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter – which incorporated cutting edge technology but was never fielded. The Cold War mission became less relevant as we transitioned to fighting static counterinsurgencies that dominated the last two decades. Unfortunately, we could use that capability today, but it was never fielded because of the lengthy defence acquisition process. Our military leaders are keenly aware of this challenge, and there are many new initiatives by the Government-Industry team to solve this long-standing problem. I have made it my mission in this industry to rapidly field the best technology to ensure our warfighters are the best equipped in the world.”
“You left the Army to take on roles in the private sector. How did those experiences help you in your role as president of GM Defense?”
“I’ve been fortunate to serve in aerospace and defense industry roles that have enabled me to grow personally and professionally while taking on new responsibilities and challenges.
After finishing my active service in the U.S. Army, I joined the Boeing Company in 2001 to work in the military aircraft division where I developed a passion for integrating the latest technology into the design of new aircraft. I worked in the technology intensive areas of pilot-to-air-vehicle interfaces, advanced mission systems, night vision pilotage and targeting systems. While at Boeing, I also earned an MBA to add managerial business acumen on top of my operational and technical background. I then moved to BAE Systems to work in the high-tech area of aircraft and ground vehicle protection systems to rapidly field needed defensive capability for our warfighters deployed in the dangerous combat environments in Iraq and Afghanistan. I then joined Raytheon Company to leverage my operational, technical and business leadership skills and spent 14 years ascending to senior leadership positions in the areas of battlefield radars, command and control systems, missile systems, missile defense, and intelligence and space systems. While with Raytheon, I held Vice President roles in Command and Control and Battlefield Radar, Missile Systems, and Intelligence and Space Systems. I also served as the Chairman and CEO of the company’s Thales Raytheon Systems Joint Venture in Paris, France and the Raytheon Atheeb Systems Ltd. JV in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I feel very fortunate that my endeavours in the aerospace and defense industry have allowed me to gain a very diverse technology, business and global market background that I use everyday in my role as President of GM Defense.
“When did you join GM Defense?”
“I accepted the role of President of GM Defense at a pivotal time for the new venture within General Motors (GM) in April of 2021. The business had just been awarded its first production contract to build the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) for our U.S. Army customer. Soon after cutting the ribbon on our new production facility in North Carolina, my team began exploring the benefit of electrifying tactical vehicles with the development of our prototype All-Electric Military Concept vehicle or eISV, which maintains the attributes and characteristics of the ISV built for our Army customer but with a battery electric propulsion system. The combination of creating a culture of listening to our warfighters to understand their needs, with the ability to rapidly develop forward-thinking defense solutions based on GM’s investments in cutting edge technology is very powerful. GM Defense is focused on being a trusted partner with global defence and government customers on their path to a more electric, autonomous and connected future.”
“What is your strategy for GM Defense?”
“GM Defense operates as a small, agile business that is part of the global General Motors enterprise of 165,000-plus employees with global reach and manufacturing operations on six continents. From the outset, my strategy was to run the business like a start-up by leveraging the investments and engineering expertise of GM – including $35 billion in electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle technology and adapting this technology to deliver modern solutions that meet the needs of the warfighter.
A great example of our ability to rapidly deliver commercial technology adapted to meet the needs of the warfighter is the Army’s newest tactical vehicle, the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). Based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, the ISV is a light and agile nine-passenger, all-terrain, troop transporter developed to meet U.S. Army requirements. We were competitively awarded the ISV contract in June 2020 and delivered the first production ISVs to the Army just 120 days later. The program is now in full-rate production and has fielded ISVs the Army’s 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions with fieldings continuing to meet the Army’s needs. GM Defense has also invested in the design and development of several ISV variants to meet a variety of tactical missions, demonstrating the flexibility of the commercial architecture to be rapidly adapted to perform multiple tactical and support mission roles.
With our ongoing global expansion and the formation of GM Defense International announced last summer, we have great opportunities to deliver advanced commercial technologies to allied defense and government markets worldwide. We are actively pursuing opportunities that leverage GM’s strong presence and investments in Canada. We continue to identify new opportunities to expand globally, including our most recent collaborative agreement with UAE’s Tawazun Council, which was announced earlier this year to bring GM Defense’s capability to the Middle East region.”
“How did GM Defense win the ISV contract, and how has that franchise evolved?”
“What helped us win the ISV contract award was our ability to listen to Soldier feedback during the prototype phase. By leveraging GM’s commercial capabilities, we were able to rapidly adapt our prototype, using virtual design, development and validation tools to meet key customer desires and rapidly implement the changes into our vehicle design.
At GM Defense, we’re able to offer significant value by building solutions with a high percentage of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) parts. At 90 percent COTS, the ISV is highly adaptable to support different mission needs and can be built with different seating configurations, storage options and enclosure kits to meet customer requirements. Within our growing ISV family of vehicles, we have developed a five passenger Heavy Gun Carrier with a standard turret ring capable of mounting a variety of weapon systems, in addition to an ISV two-seat option and ISV four-seat flexible mission support vehicle, plus an All-Electric Military Concept Vehicle which replaces the diesel engine of an ISV with GM’s battery electric technology. We offer tremendous flexibility and customization for mobility solutions developed from GM’s mid-size to heavy duty truck architectures, powered by highly efficient internal combustion engines, hybrid-electric systems and all-electric propulsion to meet the constantly evolving needs of our customers.”
“What else is GM Defense working on?”
“We are applying the same proven approach used to develop the ISV for other programs by leveraging GM’s proven heavy-duty full-size trucks to fulfill needs for defense and government mobility solutions with heavier payload requirements and extreme off-road capability.
We are currently developing the next generation Heavy-Duty Sport Utility Vehicle (HD-SUV) to support missions requiring protected mobility. This vehicle is designed for specific U.S. government missions with the ability to be adapted to meet the requirements of allied international customers.
We also announced earlier this year a collaboration with American Rheinmetall Vehicles to build a prototype for the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck (CTT) Program, which is intended to replace the Army’s aging family of heavy tactical trucks. We formed the strategic collaboration to deliver modern commercial technologies, including advanced driver assistance systems for improved safety, increased off-road mobility, cybersecurity and enhanced fuel efficiency, among other emerging technologies. We are looking forward to leveraging GM’s capabilities to deliver a modern prototype to our Army customer.
I am also excited about our ability to offer alternative power and propulsion solutions to our global customers as we help them transition to a more electric future. Electrification offers advantages for warfighters such as Silent drive and Silent watch with low acoustic and thermal signatures for tactical missions.”
“Where do you see GM Defense over the next two years?”
“I’m very confident that we will continue to grow globally as we expand the ISV and HD SUV franchises with our allies in strategic regions around the world. I also feel strongly that you will see a steady stream of rapid, new technology insertion from GM Defense, as we partner with our global customers on the path to a more electric, autonomous and connected future. We will continue to demonstrate the untapped value in leveraging commercial technology investments to field advanced capabilities that will ensure our warfighters maintain the technological advantage to best perform their mission and return home safely.
The leadership experience that I gained across my career in the U.S. Army and at large within global defense companies has allowed me to bring an important background and perspective to growing and leading a world-class defense business to best serve our customers. I am building GM Defense as an agile, fast-to-field technology start-up that understands our customers’ needs and the importance of leveraging the resources and investments of a global powerhouse like GM. I couldn’t be prouder of the work that we are doing at GM Defense, and I remain honoured to work every day in support of our brave men and women who are on the front lines protecting our freedom.”
Steve duMont, 56, is married to Pamela duMont. They were married in 1993 and have four children.