The U.S. Special Operations Command requested proposals for an all-new Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV) that would be lighter and faster than the old vehicle, with updated communications and computing equipment. Northrop Grumman was among the top firms submitting a proposed new design for the “GMV 1.1” project, and the company came to Hydra Design Labs for its design expertise and Class-A surfacing capabilities.
Working closely with Northrop Grumman, BAE, and Pratt & Miller Engineering on this program, Hydra was responsible for designing the exterior of the GMV and providing Class-A surfacing for the final vehicle – all while working with tight time and engineering constraints throughout the project.
“We contracted with Jon and his team at Hydra Design Labs to design the exterior for our tactical vehicle submission to Special Operations Command. We gave him a very a challenging set of constraints, not enough time, and not enough resources to do the job, and he and his team still delivered, exceeding our expectations on every front. He’s our go-to guy for vehicle designs in the future.”
Redesigning an iconic military vehicle
As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of military and defense equipment with an impressive resume ranging from the B-2 Stealth Bomber to the Apollo Lunar Module and Cignus spacecraft, Northrop Grumman is one of the most high-profile companies in the United States.
One of the most iconic U.S. military vehicles is the Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV), which were a U.S. Special Operations Command program that traditionally used converted Humvees into specialty vehicles used by U.S. Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Air Force and Marine Corps special operations and more.
Project details
Client
Northrop Grumman
Date of launch
2015
Provided services
- Design
- CAD
- Class-A Surfacing
