The HTLD was given carte blanche to develop doctrine, decide force structure, and design equipment by then Army Chief of Staff Edward C. Meyer.

HTTB (High Technology Test Bed) in the units in the 9th Infantry were first to deploy these vehicles[citation needed].

Along with light off-road motorcycles, the FAV was intended to provide a highly mobile component to the mostly foot infantry unit.

The original tests used commercial dune buggies modified to carry weapons such as TOW missiles and recoilless rifles.

The United States Marines Corps also fielded a Fast Attack Vehicle – a completely different piece of equipment based on the M151 1/4-ton.

In 1999, this FAV began to be replaced with the Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV) a version of the Mercedes-Benz MB 290 GD 1.5 ton truck.