The Ural 4320 is a general purpose off-road 6 x6 truck, built in the automobile plant of Miass /Ural Region. As well as a 6 x 6 drivetrain, the 4320 also features a fail-safe diesel engine and an armored body. Production originally started in 1977 and continues to this day. In Russian military service the "Ural" has proved itself a significant asset; a simple and unpretentious machine which easily crosses trenches and ditches, climbs steep slopes, overcoming most significant obstacles in its path. The Ural 4320 has also proved suitable as a base on which a large number of auxiliary and combat vehicles have been produced, including the legendary 'Grad' missile launcher. Its extraordinary flexibility was demonstrated following the 2005 flooding of New Orleans, where it proved extremely successful at operating in the heavily flooded areas, American made trucks proving much less adapt at dealing with the difficult conditions.