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Rare US Air-Deployable Flyer 72-LD Vehicles Spotted in Use by Ukrainian Rangers
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian special operations forces have received the Flyer 72-LD light tactical vehicle, designed for airlift by helicopters such as the Mi-8.
The appearance of the vehicle was first noted in an official video published by Ukraine’s 6th Ranger Regiment, a newly established unit under the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Flyer 72-LD was originally developed for the US military under the Ultra Light Combat Vehicle program. The vehicle can be transported by air using UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, or CH-53 helicopters.
According to a Ukrainian military pilot, the Mi-8 helicopter is also capable of carrying the vehicle via sling load, although such operations require advanced coordination and training.
The vehicle’s light weight—2,272 kilograms (5,008 pounds)—and high mobility make it suitable for rapid deployment missions. It is capable of transporting up to nine personnel or up to five seriously wounded soldiers, depending on the internal configuration.
The Flyer 72-LD also includes five mounting points for M240 machine guns and a central roof mount for a .50 caliber M2 heavy machine gun.
Although the United States has not officially reported the delivery of Flyer 72-LD vehicles to Ukraine, their presence suggests they may have been included in classified equipment shipments intended for special operations and irregular warfare.
Army Recognition, a Belgium-based defense outlet, noted the vehicle’s presence in a March 31 video from one of the four ranger regiments formed under Ukraine’s newly created Ranger Corps.
Flyer Defense, the US-based manufacturer, equips the vehicle with a 2.0-liter BiTurbo engine producing 195 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
The maximum speed is 120 km/h with an operational range of up to 805 kilometers. The vehicle’s modular off-road platform supports additional armor kits that provide ballistic protection in line with STANAG 4569 Level I.
The Flyer 72-LD remains rare even among NATO forces. No prior public records or official statements had indicated their transfer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
It remains unclear how many units have been delivered, though at least one is confirmed to be in use. Analysts suggest the vehicle may be undergoing operational testing in real-world combat conditions.
Earlier, experimental V-BAT drones from US-based Shield AI were secretly deployed to Ukraine in mid-2024 for testing against Russian electronic warfare. Following successful trials, the MQ-35A V-BAT was officially integrated into the Ukrainian Armed Forces in January 2025, with Shield AI opening a Kyiv office to support frontline operations and training.
