General Dynamics Flyer

The Flyer Advanced Light Strike Vehicle platform has been developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense LLC, for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Ground Mobility Vehicle Program. The Flyer Advanced Light Strike Vehicle platform configurations are the Flyer 72 and the narrower Flyer 60.

Flyer 60, 72; (A-)GMV 1.1
Flyer 72 GMV 1.1 'Ground Mobility Vehicle'
TypeLight Strike Vehicle
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service2013 – present
Used byU.S. Special Operations Command
U.S. Army
Production history
DesignerGeneral Dynamics & Flyer Defense LLC
ManufacturerGeneral Dynamics
Unit costUnarmored: $245,000 (€ 143.000 for Italian Army contract on 2015)
No. builtM1288 GMV 1.1 – 1,297 units [1]
M1297 A-GMV 1.1 —
300 units ordered;
1700 optional,
Flyer II V-22 ITV —
Three AFSOC evaluation units.[1]
VariantsFlyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV
Flyer 72 —
M1288 GMV 1.1[2]
M1297 A-GMV 1.1[2]
Specifications
MassFlyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV — 4,500 lb (2,041 kg) curb wt. [3]
Flyer 72 — 5,500 lb (2,495 kg) curb weight [4]
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 6,840 lb (3,103 kg) [1]
LengthFlyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV — 180 in (4.57 m)
Flyer 72 — 182 in (4.62 m) / 193 in (4.90 m) with winch and pushbar
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 210 in (5.33 m) [5]
 lengthWheelbase: 126 in (3.20 m)
WidthFlyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV — 60 in (1.52 m)
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 79.6 in (2.02 m)
Other variants:
72 in (1.83 m) chassis
79.25 in (2.01 m) width at tires
85 in (2.16 m) with side cargo boxes
Height60 in (1.52 m) roof top
72.25 in (1.84 m) to roof rack / armament
CrewFlyer 60: 2 + 2 = 4 seats
Flyer 72: Up to 9 seats: 3 front, 3 rear, 2 rear deck, 1 gunner seat
M1288 GMV 1.1: 6 / 7 Operators
Main
armament
Various
Engine1.95 L (119 cu in) Direct injection (Euro V) DOHC Turbodiesel / JP8
195 hp (145 kW) — 295 ft.-lb. (400 Nm)
Payload capacityFlyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV — 3,500 lb (1,588 kg)
Flyer 72 — 5,700 lb (2,585 kg) [4]
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 4,360 lb (1,978 kg)
M1297 A-GMV 1.1 — 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) [6]
Transmission6 speed automatic (tiptronic)
Suspension4-wheel coil over shocks independent suspension with 4 air spring variable ride
Ground clearance17 in (43 cm)
Fuel capacityFlyer 72 — 26 gal. (98 l)
Other — 32 gal. (145 l)
Operational
range
Flyer 60 — 350 mi (560 km) cruise range
Flyer II V-22 ITV — 450 mi (720 km) [1]
Flyer 72 — 300 mi (480 km) on mission profile / 500 mi (800 km) on-road @ 40 mph (64 km/h)
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 408 mi (657 km)
Maximum speed Flyer 60 / Flyer II V-22 ITV —
65 mph (105 km/h) Terrain /
75 mph (121 km/h) On-road [1]
Flyer 72 — 95 mph (153 km/h)
M1288 GMV 1.1 — 73.3 mph (118 km/h)

Design

The Flyer was designed to fill a need by special operations forces to have a lightweight, mobile platform that could be transported by air and be configured for a variety of missions. It can be internally transported by V-22 Osprey, CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-47D Chinook, C-130 Hercules, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy, and be externally transported by UH-60L Black Hawk. The vehicle can operate at high speeds at long ranges, off-road and in various weather conditions. It can be configured for many roles including light strike, personnel rescue and recovery, reconnaissance, and communications. The Flyer has a fuel efficiency of 24 mpg at 40 mph. Weapons can be mounted on a 360 degree ring or five patient litters can be carried.[7][8] It also has an armored variant, with the 4-door cab, rear cargo area, and roofline armored to ballistic level B6.[9]

Flyer 72

The Flyer was offered as a contender in the GMV 1.1 competition to replace SOCOM's fleet of 1,072 Humvee-based Ground Mobility Vehicles. Requirements in 2012 called for a vehicle that weighed less than 7,000 lb (3,175 kg) and could carry up to seven troops. On 22 August 2013, General Dynamics was announced the winner of the program, and awarded a contract potentially worth $562 million. SOCOM plans to spend $24 million in FY 2014 for 101 vehicles, each worth $245,000. 1,300 are planned to be in service by September 2020. General Dynamics expects the Flyer to have international sales, such as to the British Special Air Service. Several Middle Eastern nations have expressed interest in upgrading their armored truck fleets, including Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.[10][11][12]

General Dynamics Flyer 72 GMV 1.1 'Ground Mobility Vehicle' with GAU-19 gatling gun

In September 2013, AM General and Navistar filed protests over the awarding of the GMV 1.1 contract to General Dynamics.[13] Both protests were rejected by the Government Accountability Office, so AM General filed a lawsuit against SOCOM for "irregularities" with the acquisition decision. The protests and lawsuit caused automatic stopping of work to General Dynamics for the Flyer. The lawsuit could have pushed back the planned 2020 completion date of GMV 1.1 acquisition.[14] On 7 April 2014, the US Federal Claims Court rejected AM General's lawsuit, allowing General Dynamics to resume work and continue with the contract.[15] SOCOM reached a Milestone C decision on 7 October 2014, beginning low-rate initial production (LRIP) for 72 Flyer vehicles as the GMV 1.1 by 2016.[16]

The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) reportedly received a Flyer 72 in 2014 for testing under Project Westerly, a program to evaluate vehicles for the replacement of their Supacat HMT400 Surveillance and Reconnaissance Vehicle/Offensive Action Vehicles that entered service in 2003.[17]

Flyer 60

On 21 October 2013, General Dynamics was awarded a SOCOM contract for non-developmental V-22 Internally Transportable Vehicles (ITV). The three-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract is for up to 10 vehicles, with integration and logistical support and training. The total value of the contract is $5.8 million if all options are exercised.[18] The basic difference between the Flyer 72 and Flyer 60 is width – at 72 in (1.83 m) vs. 60 in (1.52 m) respectively. They share the same engine, suspension, transmission, and electrical systems. The Flyer 60 seats only four, with a length of 180 in (4.57 m), a height of 60 in (1.52 m), curb weight of 4,500 lb (2,041 kg), and payload of 3,500 lb (1,588 kg).[3]

Variants

General Dynamics offered modified Flyer vehicles to the U.S. Army for their 'Ultra Light Combat Vehicle' (ULCV), since renamed the Army Ground Mobility Vehicle (AGMV), and Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV) programs. With the Flyer already developed and certified, it would be cheaper for the Army to buy a vehicle with an established logistics base.[19] The Special Forces Flyer 72 version had SOF-specific items removed and more seats added to meet ULCV requirements for a weight of 4,500 lb (2,000 kg) and a 3,200 lb (1,500 kg) payload, equal to nine soldiers and their gear. For the LRV, the Flyer 72 could have armor added, carry six troops, and mount an M230 chain gun.[20]

On 22 May 2018, the Army awarded GD-OTS the contract for production of Army Ground Mobility Vehicles.[2]

Operators

See also

References
  1. PM-FOSOV SOFIC Master 2015 – FSOF Warrior.pdf
  2. "General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Awarded Contract for U.S. Army's Ground Mobility Vehicle Program". General Dynamics (Press release). 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  3. "Flyer 60 Technical Specifications" (PDF). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  4. "Flyer 72 Technical Specifications" (PDF). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS). 2 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  5. GMV 1.1 | Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 | Special Operations Vehicles.html
  6. Tactical Vehicles: A-GMV 1.1 – Deagel.com
  7. Flyer brochure - General Dynamics
  8. Flyer - General Dynamics
  9. Flyer Armored - General Dynamics
  10. General Dynamics Wins $562 Million SOCOM Truck Deal - DoDBuzz.com, 22 August 2013
  11. Special Ops Command Announces $560M Award for Critical New Vehicle - Defensenews.com, 22 August 2013
  12. General Dynamics Wins $500 Million Special Operations Truck Contract - Nationaldefensemagazine.org, 23 August 2013
  13. AM General and Navistar Protest SOCOM Vehicle Contract - Defensenews.com, 4 September 2013
  14. Lawsuit Stalls Special Operations Ground Mobility Vehicle Program - Nationaldefensemagazine.org, April 2014
  15. AM General Lawsuit Against SOCOM Rejected; GD Starts Work on Special Ops Vehicle - Defensenews.com, 9 April 2014
  16. USSOCOM Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 Enters Low Rate Initial Production - Deagel.com, 7 October 2014
  17. "UKSF to evaluate General Dynamics' Flyer-72". Jane's International Defense Review (Volume 47 Issue 10). 1 October 2014.
  18. "General Dynamics to Deliver V-22 Internally Transported" (PDF). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  19. "SOCOM Poised to Receive New Ultra-Light-Duty Truck". Defensetech.org. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  20. 5 new light vehicles revealed at AUSA - Military1.com, 31 October 2014
  21. http://www.difesa.it/Amministrazionetrasparente/segredifesa/terrarm/Documents/DAC_2015/DAC_TER15_023.pdf

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