Army · Serving
Army fitness test: what is the Role Fitness Test (Soldier)?
The Role Fitness Test (Soldier) is the annual in-service test that replaces the old Annual Fitness Test. It has six events and is explicitly gender- and age-free. The standards below are the GCC (Ground Close Combat) standards, anchored to Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps.
Verified 2026-09-07 against British Army — Fit to Fight: the new GCC Physical Employment Standards (RFT(S)).
The pass mark
Loaded march
4 km with 40 kg in 50 min, then a further 2 km with 25 kg in 15 min
GCC standard (Infantry/RAC). One two-part event, not a GCC/non-GCC split.
Fire and movement
20 x 7.5 m tactical bounds (PTI-paced), then a 15 m crawl and a 15 m sprint in 55 s
GCC standard.
Casualty drag
110 kg dragged 20 m in 35 s
GCC standard. A separate PDF component from Vehicle CASEVAC below.
Jerry can carry
Two 22 kg jerry cans carried 240 m in 4 min
GCC standard.
Vehicle CASEVAC
70 kg lift, hold 3 s
GCC standard. A separate PDF component from Casualty drag above.
Repeated lift and carry
20 kg bags shifted 20 times over a 30 m distance in 14 min
GCC standard.
Good to know
Non-GCC pass marks are not public
Non-GCC soldiers sit a different 7-task set (loaded carriage, tactical movement, casualty drag, stretcher carry, vertical lift, repeated carry, incremental lift) that reports scored, not pass/fail, performance — no non-GCC pass standard is publicly published, so none is shown here.
Reserves sit a shorter version
RFT(S) Interim, the Reserves' annual in-service test, drops to three events (RMT 1, 2 and 4: loaded march, fire and movement, and jerry can carry) at the same GCC standards. Regulars pass on all 6 RMTs (MATT 2); Reserves on 3.
SCR is diagnostic, not pass/fail
The Soldier Conditioning Review (broad jump, seated 4 kg med ball throw, hex bar deadlift, 5 x 20 m shuttle sprints, pull-ups, 2 km run) sits alongside RFT(S) but is graded Green/Amber/Red as a diagnostic tool, not a pass/fail test.
Common questions
What's the pass standard for the Army (RFT(S))?
Loaded march: 4 km with 40 kg in 50 min, then a further 2 km with 25 kg in 15 min (GCC standard (Infantry/RAC). One two-part event, not a GCC/non-GCC split.).
When do I take the Army (RFT(S))?
Annually, once serving — RFT(S) is the in-Service test and replaces the old Annual Fitness Test (AFT).
How many attempts do I get?
Not published in the Fit to Fight PDF.
Train it yourself
Some of Army (RFT(S)) doesn't fit a normal training session. Here's what to do for each part.
Vargr builds a plan back from your test dateandSteelRep logs your lifting.
Loaded march
A loaded march is a long, weighted grind — the fitness for it comes from doing the march itself, not from a normal training session.
Once a week, walk 4-6 km carrying a loaded bergen or rucksack, building the weight and distance toward 40 kg over 4 km. Add a shorter loaded carry, 20-30 minutes at a lighter load, on another day to build the habit without wrecking your legs for the rest of the week.
Fire and movement
This is short, explosive ground-based movement under time pressure — a skill and conditioning combination no ordinary session replicates.
Twice a week, practise short sprint bounds of 5-10 m from the prone position, plus crawling drills, 8-10 reps with full recovery. Add burpees or ground-to-standing sprints to a conditioning session for the same get-up-and-go demand.
Casualty drag
Dragging a heavy dead weight for a short distance is a specific strength-endurance skill, not something a normal lifting session covers.
Once a week, drag a loaded sled or a heavy bag across 15-20 m, 4-6 reps, resting fully between. Sled drags, sled pulls or towing a loaded tyre build the same posterior-chain strength — work up toward a 110 kg-equivalent load.
Jerry can carry
Carrying two loaded cans over distance is a grip-and-shoulders carry — a different demand to your other strength work.
Twice a week, bolt on farmer's-style carries with two heavy kettlebells or dumbbells for 200-300 m, resting and repeating for 3-4 rounds. Build the load toward two 22 kg carries and keep the pace brisk, not a shuffle.
Vehicle CASEVAC
A single heavy lift held for three seconds is a strength-and-bracing test, not something endurance training touches.
Once or twice a week, work heavy deadlifts or trap-bar lifts to a true top-end effort, then hold the lockout for 2-3 seconds. Sandbag or keg-to-shoulder lifts build the same raw lifting strength if you don't have a bar.
Repeated lift and carry
Shifting a moderate load over and over for time is a conditioning-under-load skill, distinct from either your run work or a single heavy lift.
Once a week, load a bag or sandbag at 20 kg and carry it back and forth over 30 m for 10-14 minutes continuous, pacing it like the real event. Circuit-style kettlebell or sandbag carries on another day build the same repeated-effort capacity.