A mandatory attribute of Airborne Forces is the equipment.

The RD-54 paratrooper backpack was designed for the airborne troops of the USSR Army. It was widely used during the Afghan War of 1979–1989, and the hostilities in Chechnya and Ossetia. Even today some soldiers still carry it.

The “RD” means “paratrooper’s backpack” and the “54” stands for the year 1954, when the backpack was officially approved by order of the USSR Armed Forces.

The backpack is designed to fit and carry items of combat equipment that a paratrooper needs when landing behind enemy lines.

It comfortably sits on the paratrooper’s back both when making a jump and in combat conditions after landing.

It consists of a satchel, shoulder straps, a bag for magazines, a bag for hand grenades and a shovel cover.

The satchel is made of aviation tarpaulin (avizent). It is used to store cartridges, explosives, individual chemical protection equipment, food, a pot, a spoon and toiletries. It has the shape of a box: in its upper part there is a lid and three valves — two on the sides and one at the front.

Pockets are sewn to the side walls of the satchel. They are designed for carrying warheads for grenade launchers and man-portable anti-tank systems, as well as explosives, cartridges and other items of combat gear.

When a paratrooper carries an assault rifle or a light machine gun (disassembled or folded), the lower part of the weapon is placed in the left pocket of the satchel in order to prevent any issues when the parachute opens: if an item protrudes, it can interfere with suspension lines or some other parts of the parachute.

Inside the side pockets there are smaller pockets for placing fuses for hand grenade launchers. The backpack also has ties sewn on the inside of the pockets, side walls and bottom of the satchel for attaching a greatcoat or a raincoat.

In the lower corners of the back wall of the satchel, corner straps with curved buckles and carabiners are sewn from the outside to fasten the satchel to the shoulder straps.

Shoulder straps are made of cotton webbing. They are needed for attaching the satchel and the bags and for fixing the waist belt to the parachutist. One of the ends of the shoulder straps is sewn to the backpack satchel. Bags are attached to the other ends: to the right one — the bag for magazines, and to the left — the bag for grenades.