The technology paving the way for new jobs in Lordstown is also being adapted to power some of America’s military machines.

GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit to develop a battery pack prototype for testing and analysis on Department of Defense platforms, according to a media release from the company.

GM Defense says it will utilize advanced battery technology used in its Ultium Platform to design batteries for tactical military vehicles.

The Defense Innovation Unit was created by the Department of Defense to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology in the U.S. military.

According to GM Defense, that technology could also be used for global defense and also by government customers.

“This award is a critical enabler for non-traditional defense businesses like GM Defense to deliver commercial technologies that support our customers’ transition to a more electric, autonomous and connected future,” said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. “GM Defense offers a unique advantage with our ability to leverage proven commercial capabilities and the billions in GM investments in electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle technologies in order to help provide our customers with the most advanced capabilities the commercial market can offer.”

GM says its Ultium Platform is a combined electric vehicle battery architecture and propulsion system that can deliver power, range, and scale beyond any previous GM hybrid or extended range EV      technology.

“Modular and scalable, the Ultium Platform uses different chemistries and cell form factors, making it adaptable to changing needs and new technology insertions as they become available,” according to the GM Defense statement.

Earlier this summer the U.S. Army chose GM Defense to provide a GMC Hummer EV Pickup for analysis and demonstration. The award is intended to help meet the military’s requirement for a light- to heavy-duty battery EV that can support reduced reliance on fossil fuels in the operational and garrison environments.

General Motors is betting its business future on the Ultium Platform to replace combustion engines in its line of cars and trucks.

In addition to the battery cell manufacturing facility being built in Lordstown, Ohio, construction is also underway for Ultium plants in Lansing, Michigan, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Talks are underway for a fourth plant in Indiana.