The ZiL-131 is a basic technical design and is known for its reliability and superb off-road capability. The ZiL-131 was widely used in both the Soviet armed forces as well as in former Eastern Bloc countries. It is a four-wheel drive truck with a load carrying capacity of 5 tons which in the basic configuration can carry both troops and military supplies on its cargo floor. It is assumed that about 1 million of these trucks were built. The National People's Army from the GDR also used numerous ZiL-131's.