GoToolGo

🪖 ACFT vs AFT: What Changed in the New Army Fitness Test

Army Fitness • 6 Min Read • Updated July 2026

The Short Version

On June 1, 2025, the Army Fitness Test (AFT) replaced the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) as the official test of record. Two changes matter most: the standing power throw was eliminated — dropping the test from six events to five and the maximum from 600 to 500 points — and combat-arms soldiers now test against a sex-neutral standard with a higher 350-point floor. The other four events carried over largely intact.

Side-by-Side

ACFT (retired)AFT (current)
Events65
Maximum score600500
Standing power throwIncludedRemoved
Deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, 2-mile runIncludedIncluded
General passing60/event, 360 total60/event, 300 total
Combat MOS standardNot sex-neutralSex-neutral (male scale), 350 total

Score yourself against the current standards with our AFT Calculator, which uses the exact official 2025 tables.

Why the Standing Power Throw Was Cut

The Army stated the standing power throw — heaving a 10-pound medicine ball backward overhead — wasn't promoting fitness and readiness as effectively as hoped, and it carried a higher relative injury risk (back and shoulder strains during an explosive, technique-heavy movement). Removing it simplified administration and shortened the test without weakening its predictive value, since the deadlift and sprint-drag-carry already capture power and anaerobic capacity.

The Five Events That Remain

Each is scored 0-100 against your age and sex bracket:

Wondering where you stand on individual events? See average plank times and average run times for civilian benchmarks, and estimate your deadlift 3RM from any set with our One Rep Max Calculator.

Do My Old ACFT Scores Still Count?

No — there's no official conversion between the two. Because the standing power throw is gone and the maximum dropped from 600 to 500, a 540 ACFT and a 450 AFT aren't the same achievement; they're different scales. Any record or resource still expressing a score out of 600 or listing six events is scoring the retired ACFT. Testing for a different branch? We also cover the Marine Corps PFT, Navy PRT, and the new 2026 Air Force PFRA.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the AFT officially replace the ACFT?

June 1, 2025. The Army announced the change in spring 2025, with the AFT becoming the test of record from that date forward.

Which soldiers use the combat standard?

Soldiers in the 21 designated combat MOSs (infantry, armor, artillery, combat engineers, Special Forces, and similar). They're scored on the male, age-normed scale regardless of sex and must total 350 with at least 60 per event.

Did the plank change between the ACFT and AFT?

No — the plank is the same core event. It had already replaced the leg tuck during the later ACFT period, and it carried into the AFT unchanged.

What's a passing AFT score?

Under the general standard: 60 points in every event and 300 total. Combat MOSs need 350 total on the sex-neutral scale. Check your exact result with the AFT Calculator.