GDLS delivers first XM30 Wolf vehicle to U.S. Army

General Dynamics Land Systems delivered its XM30 Wolf infantry fighting vehicle to the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, last Friday, according to a post by Geoffrey Norman, a retired Army brigadier general now working on the GDLS team.

Norman, who spent 30 years in the Army as a tanker and cavalryman, joined the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team at Detroit Arsenal four years ago, where he worked with operational units and soldiers to help develop the requirements for both the XM30 and the M1E3 Abrams upgrade. He left the Army two years ago to join GDLS.

“This is huge event for me, professionally and personally,” Norman wrote. “I could not be happier to be part of the GDLS team that is delivering this incredible new capability on schedule to the Army, they need it now.”

XM30 is the Army’s program to replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which has been in service for more than 40 years. General Dynamics Land Systems and American Rheinmetall Vehicles are the two finalists competing to build the vehicle, with both companies developing and testing prototypes in Michigan. The Army is expected to select a winning design in 2027.

“I want to say thank you to the incredible team of professionals at General Dynamics who make the XM30 Wolf program a success,” Norman wrote. “The dedicated program leaders, innovative engineers, resourceful supply chain professionals, and tireless manufacturing experts at Sterling Heights, Lima, Scranton, Tallahassee, Grand Rapids and London are absolutely committed to delivering the very best capability to our Army.”

Norman said the vehicle uses a Modular Open Systems Architecture intended to let GDLS add new software and technology through what he described as a “born-digital design purpose built for upgrades.”

“We will continue to improve the XM30 Wolf every single day, with new software drops, new technologies that easily integrate through our Modular Open Systems Architecture and an innovative born-digital design that is purpose built for upgrades,” Norman wrote.

Norman said the delivered vehicle is the first of several prototypes GDLS plans to complete and deliver to the Army.

“The work continues as this first vehicle gets into the Army’s hands,” Norman wrote. “Every day and night, GDLS is working to complete all our prototypes and deliver on time. That is our commitment and GDLS delivers on its commitments.”

According to Norman, additional XM30 Wolf vehicles will be sent to Fort Hood, Texas, where the Army will evaluate them as part of the process GDLS hopes will lead to a full-rate production decision.

“Soon those XM30 Wolf vehicles will be in a formation at Fort Hood, Texas, ready to get put through the crucible of their evaluation so GDLS can go into full rate production on the XM30 Wolf, the best Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle in the world,” Norman wrote.