Company / Our history

Flyer history

Advanced light strike vehicles built by soldiers for soldiers.

An early open-cab Flyer vehicle photographed in front of a rocky desert landscape

Founder & CEO

Oded Nechushtan

An Israeli special forces veteran, Flyer Defense CEO Oded Nechushtan founded the company with a relentless dedication to deliver on its vision; To be the most versatile, technically advanced, high-performing, all-terrain wheeled platform in the world. That vision is now reality.

About Flyer

Milestones

From the first Flyer to over 1,400.

Firsts and turning points, each taken from Flyer’s own About page and news releases.

  1. 1989First

    The first Flyer

    Oded Nechushtan and his brother, Amit Nechushtan, began developing the original Flyer vehicle in 1989.

  2. 2013

    USSOCOM GMV 1.1

    In 2013, Flyer Defense, in teaming with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, was awarded the production contract for USSOCOM’s Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 program.

  3. 2015

    Fielded as the M1288

    The Flyer 72-HD has been fielded by USSOCOM since 2015 as the M1288 Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 Program of Record.

    News release, April 2025

  4. 2018

    U.S. Army A-GMV

    In 2018, the team was awarded the U.S. Army A-GMV directed requirement production contract.

  5. 2019

    Infantry Squad Vehicle prototype

    The U.S. Army awarded Flyer Defense and partner Oshkosh Defense a $1 million prototype contract to develop the new Infantry Squad Vehicle.

    News release, August 2019

  6. 2022

    More than 1,000 fielded

    By April 2022, the GMV 1.1 and A-GMV had a combined total of more than 1,000 fielded vehicles, trusted and utilized by the U.S. Army and U.S. Special Forces.

    News release, April 2022

  7. 2022First

    First shipment to the UAE Armed Forces

    In partnership with the International Golden Group, Flyer Defense completed initial shipment of the Flyer 72 to the UAE Armed Forces, the start of its single largest direct commercial sales contract to date.

    News release, April 2022
    Two tan Flyer 72 vehicles parked outside a Flyer Defense building

  8. 2026First

    First Flyer 72-HD delivery to the Czech Republic

    Together with Czech partner STV Group, Flyer Defense marked the first delivery of Flyer 72-HD vehicles to the Czech Army’s 43rd Airborne Regiment in Chrudim, part of a 46-vehicle program.

    News release, July 2026
    Two Czech soldiers stand beside a tan Flyer 72-HD

  9. By air

    Built to fly

    Flyer vehicles are internally and externally transportable in rotary and tiltwing aircraft including the V-22, CH-53, CH-47 and C-130.

    News release, April 2024
    Soldiers move clear as a green Flyer 72 is rigged to a cargo hook under a hovering CH-47 Chinook

  10. Today

    Fielded, tested and certified

    Over 1,400 vehicles successfully fielded, tested and certified.

The people

Behind the platform.

Moments from the workshop and beyond.

A technician working on the tubular structure of a Flyer vehicle in a workshop
A person writing at a desk beside workshop equipment
A person working inside a bare tubular vehicle frame
A group gathered beside open-cab vehicles outside a workshop
Two early Flyer vehicles parked in front of a Petersen Ranch building

The work

From the frame up.

Chassis, controls and transport preparations from the Flyer archive.

Workshop technicians assembling a tubular vehicle chassis on stands
A tubular vehicle chassis resting on a white sheet outside a building
A close view of an early vehicle dashboard, gear selector and steering wheel
A group gathered around an open-cab vehicle beside the rear of a helicopter
A Flyer vehicle viewed head-on through the open rear of an aircraft
An early vehicle secured in a protective timber frame on a transport pallet

The terrain

Out in the field.

On sand, rock and the ground in between.

A Flyer fitted with tracks negotiating a steep dirt channel
A tan open-cab vehicle photographed among desert dunes
A lightweight open-cab vehicle negotiating a rocky landscape
Two open-cab vehicles and their occupants in woodland
A helmeted driver steering an open-cab vehicle down a dirt hillside
A helmeted driver taking a Flyer vehicle over a sand dune

The Flyer family

Engineered to perform.
Built to endure.

Explore our vehicles