ACFT vs AFT

The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) was replaced by the Army Fitness Test (AFT) with the elimination of the Stand power test. The AFT consists of five events, including max deadlift, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and a two-mile run. It uses universal sex-neutral scoring for combat MOS soldiers and age/gender norms for non-combat roles. Below is the detailed guide about ACFT Vs AFT.

Army soldiers running in training with yellow banner text about ACFT vs AFT, new events, scoring, and sex neutral

Why is ACFT Replaced By AFT?

After the feedback and data analysis for 18 months, the US Army replaced the ACFT with the Army Combat Fitness Test. The AFT comes with five events by eliminating the power throw test. The AFT emphasises war fighting readiness, reduces injuries, and introduces sex-neutral scoring for 21 combat military occupational specialities (MOS). The test is now comparatively easy and with low injury risk. However, you need a proper AFT diet and workout plan for AFT preparation.

Here is the detailed guide on why AFT replaces ACFT.

Data Analysis

The USA Army analysed the data from 18 months to make useful modifications to the Test. These changes are introduced to minimize the injury risks in testing and measure what truly matters in combat readiness and soldier health.

Reduce Injury

The standing power throw causes a lot of injuries due to the weight and pressure on muscles and joints. Therefore, this event was removed to minimize the injury risks. In this way, soldiers remain fit throughout the event and maximize their chance to pass the AFT.

Improved Combat Skills

The AFT events focus on functional fitness skills that improve the combat skills of soldiers, such as lifting, sprinting, carrying, and core strength. The Army Combat Test helps the soldier to achieve battlefield skills.

Sex Neutral Scoring

The AFT uses one standard for all soldiers in combat jobs. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. Everyone has to meet the same high fitness level. This makes things fair and equal. It also ensures all soldiers are ready for tough combat work. To check your fitness level easily, you can use an AFT calculator to track your scores and progress.

The US Army made major changes in the Test to make enough improvements. Here is the simple guide that would clarify the difference between ACFT and AFT:

Feature	ACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test)	AFT (Army Fitness Test)
Launch Date	Introduced in 2020	Replaced ACFT on June 1, 2025
Number of Events	Six	Five
Events	Deadlift, Standing Power Throw, Sprint-Drag-Carry, Hand-Release Push-ups, Hanging Leg Tuck, Two-mile Run	Deadlift, Sprint-Drag-Carry, Hand-Release Push-ups, Plank, Two-mile Run
Power Throw Event	Included (Standing Power Throw)	Removed to reduce injury risk
Scoring	Sex- and age-neutral universal scoring	Universal sex-neutral for combat roles; age/gender normed for others
Focus	Overall combat fitness emphasizes strength, power, endurance, and agility	Combat readiness with injury reduction and realistic standards
Injury Risk	Higher due to power throw and some event techniques	Lower by removing high-injury-risk events
Targeted MOS Standards	One standard for all	Different standards for combat vs non-combat MOS roles
Testing Frequency	Semiannual	Adjusted frequency based on Army guidelines

Benefits of AFT replacing ACFT

The USA Army takes a deep analysis and then replaces the ACFT with AFT. Here are some beneficial outcomes of this update:

Better Injury Prevention: The AFT removed high-risk events. This change helps to minimize injury risk by reducing muscle and joint injuries, keeping soldiers healthier and able to train longer.
Fair and Equal Standards: The AFT is gender neutral. It applies the same high fitness standards to all combat soldiers, regardless of their gender. This sex-neutral approach ensures everyone meets the physical demands fairly.
Focus on Real Combat Skills: The test events in AFT help the soldier to improve real battlefield tasks, like lifting, sprinting, and carrying. This helps soldiers be better prepared for actual combat challenges and perform well in the field.
Data-Driven Test Design: The Army replaced the ACFT with the AFT after 18 months of test results and soldier feedback. This makes the test smarter and more relevant than ACFT.
Supports Lifelong Fitness: AFT encourages soldiers to maintain fitness throughout their career. It builds stronger, more resilient soldiers ready to conquer any mission.

FAQs

ACFT has six events, AFT has five. AFT uses simpler, easier-to-manage exercises and updated scoring.

AFT was introduced to reduce injuries and make the test more practical and fair for all soldiers.

AFT is the Army Fitness Test. It was introduced to improve safety and better measure soldier fitness with updated exercises.

Conclusion

In July 2025, the US Army replaced the ACFT with the AFT. The Army fitness test comes with five events, eliminating the Stand Power Throw. This step was taken to create a safer, fairer, and more combat-ready fitness test.

The difference between ACFT and AFT lies mainly in event types and scoring standards. AFT removes high-injury-risk events and uses sex-neutral scoring for combat roles. This change ensures all soldiers meet real battlefield fitness demands while reducing injuries. Above, I have provided a detailed guide about ACFT Vs AFT. If you have any issues or queries related to it, feel free to contact us.