The RPD is a 7.62 mm light machine gun that is a belt fed version of the DP machine gun of WWII. Developed by the Soviet Union in 1943, the RPD is a precursor to most squad automatic weapons (SAW) and was later replaced by the RPK. Designed to be simple, rugged and reliable, the RPD was replaced by the RPK in the 1960’s, the RPD is still used in African and Asian nations.