GAZ-69

GAZ-69 was a four wheel drive light truck of jeep class, produced by GAZ (ГАЗ, or Gorkovskij Awtomobilnyj Zavod) between 1953 and 1955. From 1954 until 1972 it was produced by UAZ, as UAZ-69, though they were commonly known as GAZ-69s as well.

Basic variant GAZ-69 has a pair of doors only and most often appears with standard canvas top and upper sides. Further variant GAZ-69A (UAZ-69A) has two pair of doors. It was also produced under licence by ARO in Romania, as Muscel M-59, later modernized as the Muscel M-461. From the UAZ-69 there were developed off-road van and light truck UAZ-450 and newer jeep UAZ-469.

Military use

The GAZ-69 was the basic light off-road vehicle of the Soviet Army, replacing GAZ-67s and Willys Jeeps. The GAZ-69 was itself replaced with the UAZ-469.

It was also used as the basis for the 2P26 tank destroyer - see AT-1 Snapper - as well as for the GAZ 46 MAV, a light 4x4 amphibious vehicle, whose design was largely copied from the World War II Ford GPA 'Seep'.