Technology & Combat Characteristics
A variant of the RGM-79 GM late production type. the GM Cold Districts Type, as its name suggested, was designed for cold environments north and south of the subarctic zone. Existing anti-icing and anti-freezing treatments for military vehicles were adapted for this mobile suit. These included dust-proofing on each joint (based on those used on desert-use mobile suits) and a non-drain mechanism for important parts to melt and sublime adhered ice and snow.
The RGM-79D featured a redesigned version of the RGM-79［E］ GM Early Type's backpack. Though its thruster output was only average, the backpack's overall design left room for improvements, and its ambient energy consumption rate was also reduced. This design would later be inherited by the RGM-79C GM Type C.
Finally, the RGM-79D's communication capabilities was exceptional among ground-use mobile suits during the One Year War. Its head-mounted antenna was the terminal of a high performance transmitter-receiver system, which covered a wide range of frequencies from low to ultra high, had high output and sensitivity, and was capable of communicating in the harsh EM environment of the polar regions. This was vital for pilot survivability, as extreme weather conditions in cold environments (especially polar regions) can last several days.
History
The RGM-79D GM Cold Districts Type was introduced late in the war, with at least three units assigned to Lieutenant Yuu Kajima's MS combat testing squad. Yuu's unit quickly proved the value of the GM Cold Districts Type, destroying several Zeon mobile suits in defense of a Federation Forces base, including several MSM-03C Hygoggs and three Doms. Other units were deployed to guard important Federation Forces bases, such as the Arctic base.
On December 9, U.C. 0079, when the shuttle carrying RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1 was being prepared for launch, the Arctic base was attacked by the Cyclops Team, a Zeon special forces team. The Cyclops Team easily destroyed most of the GM Cold Districts Type defending the base, but one of them was able to shoot the Hygogg piloted by Cyclops Team member Andy Strauss in the cockpit while he was attempting to destroy the shuttle, killing him and allowing the shuttle to launch safely.
GM Cold Districts Type also saw action during the Federation attack on the Baikonur Cosmodrome after Zeon forces retreated there.