OFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18Australian Army — Special Forces Operator (SASR, 1st & 2nd Commando Regiment)
Special Forces PFA (Pre-entry Fitness Assessment)
Australia recruits for the Special Air Service Regiment and the 1st and 2nd Commando Regiments through a single role, Special Forces Operator. Before enlisting, candidates must pass the Special Forces PFA: 60 sit-ups, 40 push-ups, the shuttle run to level 10.1 and 6 over-grasp heaves, one standard for everyone. After recruit and infantry training come the unpublished Special Forces Entry Test (SFET) and the 21-day Special Forces Selection Course at Bindoon, Western Australia.
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minimumtargetyouPay · free · rates from 6 Nov 2025
What an Australian SF operator earns
- SF Trainee Allowance (tier F): after passing selection, during training to SF qualificationA$33,679 per year
- SF Operator – SF School Instructor allowance (tier F)A$33,679 per year
- SF Operator Sustainment Allowance (tier D): operator (Cpl to Lt Col) posted outside an SF regiment, max. 3 yearsA$24,593 per year
- Special Duty Level 3 – SF Operator (daily tier Z-7)A$400.68 per day
- Superannuation (as stated by ADF Careers)16.4% of salary per year
Annual salaries from 6 Nov 2025 (DFRT Determination No. 11 of 2025); the former Service Allowance is already built into salary. Since 1 Feb 2024 SF operators are on pay grade 8 (Foundation), 9 (Intermediate) or 10 (Advanced, Master), while ADF Careers still quotes A$106,572 (pay grade 7); the total also assumes the operator allowance is paid all year, and for officers we have not checked the position definition. Parachute allowance is not added, because only one Military Factor allowance is paid per day; superannuation is shown separately. For the captain the operator allowance is therefore not added.
- DFRT Determination No. 11 of 2025 — ADF Workforce Remuneration Agreement 2023–2026 (from 6 Nov 2025), Schedule B.12 Part 1, Schedule B.3 Part 1, Annex A.1 (Oct 18, 2026)
- DFRT Determination No. 18 of 2023 — Special Forces amendments (pay grades 8–10 for SF Operators, from 1 Feb 2024) (Oct 18, 2026)
- DFRT Determination No. 6 of 2024 — ADF Military Factor Framework, B.2.20–B.2.29 (Oct 18, 2026)
- ADF Careers — Special Forces Operator (salary once trained A$106,572, correct as of November 2025) (Oct 18, 2026)
- DFRT Determination No. 02 of 2026 — Military Factor Framework, Special Forces Operators (11 Mar 2026) (Oct 18, 2026)
The test, event by event
| Event | Minimum (enlistment) |
|---|---|
| Sit-ups | 60 |
| Push-ups | 40 |
| Shuttle run (beep test), level.shuttle | 10.1 |
| Over-grasp heaves (pull-ups) | 6 |
Also required
- Apply from age 16½, enlist from 17, up to age 56; no separate age limit for special forces is published. Australian citizenship (exceptions possible for permanent residents) and Year 10 with English and mathematics.
- Civilian pathway (SFDRS): Army Recruit Course (13 weeks, Kapooka), Infantry Employment Training (16 weeks, Singleton), Special Forces Selection Preparation Course (8 weeks, Holsworthy), SFET and Panelling Board, Special Forces Selection Course (21 days, Bindoon), then the Reinforcement Training Cycle; about 12 months in total.
- You must be able to work at height, in dark and confined spaces, in the ocean over or under deep water and in the surf zone without undue stress or panic. Selection assesses 13 Common Attributes, including leadership, judgement, perseverance and emotional regulation.
- Recommended BMI 18.5–32.9 (a medical waiver is possible). Minimum period of service: 4 years; corps: Royal Australian Infantry.
- Minimum (enlistment) — ADF Careers — Special Forces Operator; Fitness requirements (Army → Special Forces) (2026-10-18)
Questions
What is the SFET, and what are its standards?
The Special Forces Entry Test is a set of aerobic, anaerobic and cognitive assessments that predicts how likely you are to complete the selection course; the result goes to the Special Forces Panelling Board. It is run by the ADF School of Special Operations at Holsworthy and includes chin-ups, but Defence publishes no pass marks. Figures circulating online are unofficial and contradict each other, so we do not use them.
Do the standards depend on sex or age, and is the minimum enough?
No: the role is open to anyone and the Special Forces PFA has one standard for all. It is only the entry level; ADF Careers warns that passing selection takes a much higher level of fitness. For comparison, general Army combat roles require 45 sit-ups, 15 push-ups (men) or 8 (women) and shuttle-run level 7.5.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the official ADF Careers site (adfcareers.gov.au, formerly defencejobs.gov.au): the Special Forces Operator role page and the Fitness requirements page (Army → Special Forces) give the same values. The pages are undated; we read them on 18 October 2026. Shuttle-run notation 10.1 means level 10, shuttle 1.
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