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Land Systems / Battlefield

ZiL-131

6x6 Wheeled Military Truck [ 1964 ]

The ZiL-131 6x6 military truck had a production run ranging from 1964 until 2012 with thousands being produced for a myriad of global customers.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/25/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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Logistics are at the heart of every well-fueled, well-armed military and, for the Soviet Union during its heyday, this was provided for - in part - by the ZiL-131 military truck. The truck arrived in all-wheeled, 6x6 triple-axle arrangement seating a pair of axles under the rear of the chassis. The driving cab positioned the driver at front-left with the engine compartment immediately forward. Production of the ZiL-131 was had from 1964 until 2012 at which point the AMUR plant was shuttered due to bankruptcy (then produced as the AMUR-531340). Despite this, sheer numbers of the truck ensure it a place on the modern battlefield.

The civilian market form is the "ZiL-130".

For its part in Soviet history, the ZiL-131 succeeded the ZiL-157 series trucks of 1958. These were similarly arranged in 6x6 with a driving cab aft of the engine and a flexible / modular rear flat bed. Unlike the ZiL-131, the ZiL-157 was only utilized by the Soviets, China, Vietnam, and North Korea but has, itself, been formally succeeded by the more modern ZiL-4334 series trucks in Russian service.

Dimensions of the base vehicle include an overall length of 7.04 meters, a width of 2.5 meters, and a height of 2.5 meters. Curb weight is 6,700 kilograms. Its payload can reach up to 5,000kg for in-road traveling (less so when going off road).

Key qualities of the truck are its large road wheels and high ground clearance, allowing it to traverse cross-country and water sources. The suspension system includes solid axles coupled to leaf springs. Power is from a ZiL-130 6.0L V8 diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission system with 2-speed transfer case. A pair of 45-gallon gasoline tanks fuel the engine.

The versatility of the ZiL-131 is key to its success, having been the host vehicle for a variety of field solutions including the BN-21 "Grad" Multiple Launch, Rocket Projector (MLRS) vehicles (detailed elsewhere on this site) relied heavily on by the Soviet / Russian army. Beyond this, variants that have appeared include models utilized by border guard elements, specialized fire trucks, MEDEVAC, SCUD missile carriers, general transport (open flatbed or soft/hard covered), dedicated Command Posts (CPs), fuel tankers, and even mobile field bakeries.

Operators of the ZiL-131 currently (2022) include many former Soviet allies and supported states - notable entries being Georgia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Former operators are Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Iraq, and Yugoslavia.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

BASICS [+] MANUFACTURER(S) [+] OPERATORS [+] ROLES [+] NOTABLE QUALITIES [+] DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS [+] POWER & PERFORMANCE [+] ARMAMENT [+] AMMUNITION [+] VARIANTS [+] HONORS [+]

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