USA, same physical test for men and women in the Army. Europe goes more cautious

From 1 June 2025, the US Army will adopt a new physical test “neutro rispetto al genere” per l’accesso e la permanenza nei ruoli operativi. Una decisione che segna un cambio di rotta radicale: men and women will have to pass the same physical standardswithout distinction, in the name of operational efficiency and 'lethal force'.

The announcement, released Monday by the Pentagon, comes in the wake of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's order to permanently eliminate gender-based physical requirements for frontline roles. The new test, called AFT (Army Functional Test), will replace the previous Combat Fitness Test and will include weightlifting, squats, planking, a two-mile run and a sprint-drag-load test.

A difficult threshold to cross for many female soldiers

According to analysts, the new standard could drastically reduce the number of women qualified for combat rolesespecially among the younger ones, who will have to face much tougher tests than in the past: for example, lifting 140 pounds instead of 120 and completing the run in significantly less time. Those who fail the test twice in a row may be transferred to non-combatant assignments, where criteria differentiated by gender and age will remain in place.

A choice that has aroused controversy, not least because it seems to contradict the internal studies of the US defence itself: a 2017 study had concluded that the physiological differences between men and women should be managed with targeted training programmes, not with identical standards. In addition, a Rand Corporation study of 2022 showed much higher failure rates among women and older military personnel, raising doubts about the sustainability of the new system.

Differentiated approach prevails in Europe

The situation is quite different in the main European armies, where physical standards remain differentiated for men and womenwith specific exceptions related to elite operational roles.

• United Kingdom: The British Army adopts a dual system. General tests are calibrated on gender and age, but for close combat roles (Ground Close Combat) the standards are unified for all.
• Germany: The Bundeswehr applies compensatory coefficients for women in sprinting, pulling and running tests to take into account physiological differences between the sexes.
• France: L'Armée de Terre maintains separate physical criteria for men and women, although in more operational roles there is a gradual tendency to equalise standards, although without eliminating differences altogether.
• Spain: L'Ejército de Tierra applies tests differentiated according to gender and age, even in operational contexts, such as Special Operations.
• Italy: L' Italian Army provides for different thresholds in the basic tests: for example, longer running times and a lower number of squats required for women.

L'access to special forces remains identical for men and women in almost all the armies mentioned, with the exception of Spain - as we shall see in a moment.

The Spanish case: women in Special Operations without having passed the course

Unlike the other armies mentioned, in Spain there has been an emblematic case that has aroused great controversy. In 2019, the Ministry of Defence has established a Equipo de Capacidades Especialesintroducing a group of women who had not passed the Special Operations course.

The initiative, initiated by Minister Margarita Roblesaimed at increasing the presence of women in a department traditionally closed to women, due to the very high physical requirements of the Curso de OE (the Spanish equivalent of our OBOS course).

The newcomers specialised in intelligence and foreign languagesand deployed in operational support roles. However, the decision has generated discontent among the military of the Mando Operaciones Especiales (Comando Operazioni Speciali dell’Esercito, per avere un’idea qualcosa di simile al nostro COMFOSE)for which access to the speciality should take place only by passing the official courseto protect the merit and operational quality of the unit.

Robles defended the choice by emphasising the need to integrate a gender perspective in missionsespecially in the UN context. However, the debate rekindled a central issue for many western armieshow to promote female inclusion without weakening the standards of the special forces?

Is the American model exportable?

The American choice may set a precedent for other NATO nations, but it raises questions about equity, effectiveness and sustainability. Whereas in the US, the aim is to have the same standards for all in the name of operational efficiency, a balance between inclusion and physical realism still prevails in Europe.

Source: https://www.army.mil/article/284799/army_establishes_new_fitness_test_of_record_to_strengthen_readiness_and_lethality