SPECOPSLAB

Kampfschwimmer vs Taistelusukeltajat

Fitness test and pay side by side. The published minimum fitness standards of Kampfschwimmer and Taistelusukeltajat, event by event, with pay where we have it. Higher levels are in the paid report.

GERMANYKommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (KSM) — KampfschwimmerPFV I — minimum sports requirementsOFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →FINLANDSukeltajakoulu (Merivoimat) — TaistelusukeltajatDiving School entrance exam (Sukeltajakoulun valintakoe)OFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →

Minimum standards, event by event

EventKampfschwimmerTaistelusukeltajat
5,000 m run22:00only this unit—
1,000 m swim24:00only this unit—
Static breath-hold dive60 sonly this unit—
Underwater distance swim30 monly this unit—
Pull-ups (overhand)Taistelusukeltajat: Pull-ups (leuanveto)810stricter
Bench press 50 kg (reps)Taistelusukeltajat: Bench press 50 kg, reps (penkkipunnerrus)15stricter14
12-minute run (12 minuutin juoksutesti)—2,800 monly this unit
Sit-ups in 60 s (vatsalihastesti)—34only this unit
Standing long jump (vauhditon pituushyppy)—2.1 monly this unit
15 km run with a 10 kg pack, 5 km loop with hills (15 km maastomarssi)—100 minonly this unit
200 m freestyle swim (200 m vapaauinti)—3:50only this unit
Underwater distance swim (pituussukellus)—25 monly this unit
6 m search — discs recovered out of 10 (6 metrin etsintä)—3only this unit

Events in the same row are similar but not identical — read the event names.

Higher levels (e.g. competitive or elevated standards) and your gap to each are in the paid report.

Where the bar is higher

Kampfschwimmer sets the higher minimum in: bench 50.

Taistelusukeltajat sets the higher minimum in: pull-ups.

Kampfschwimmer tests 6 events, Taistelusukeltajat tests 9 events.

Pay

KAMPFSCHWIMMER
€5,097 / monthWhat a combat swimmer (Kampfschwimmer) earns · Hauptbootsmann (A 8) · Stufe 5 · default scenario, grosspartly provisional
TAISTELUSUKELTAJAT
€185 / monthWhat a conscript combat diver (taistelusukeltaja) gets — and what professional soldiers earn afterwards · Conscript — daily allowance × 30 days (varusmies, päiväraha) · days 1–165 · default scenario, grosspartly provisional

Amounts are in each country’s own currency and are not converted.

Questions

Is Kampfschwimmer or Taistelusukeltajat harder to get into?

Kampfschwimmer sets the higher minimum in: bench 50. Taistelusukeltajat sets the higher minimum in: pull-ups. These are only the published fitness minimums; selection itself, medical and other requirements differ, and passing the minimum does not guarantee selection.

How do the Kampfschwimmer and Taistelusukeltajat fitness tests differ?

Kampfschwimmer: 6 events (run 5k, swim 1k, breath, dive dist, pull-ups, bench 50). Taistelusukeltajat: 9 events (cooper, bench 50, pull-ups, sit-ups, long jump, march 15k, swim 200, uw swim, 6m search).

Does Kampfschwimmer or Taistelusukeltajat pay more?

Kampfschwimmer: €5,097/month (Hauptbootsmann (A 8) · Stufe 5); Taistelusukeltajat: €185/month (Conscript — daily allowance × 30 days (varusmies, päiväraha) · days 1–165) (default scenarios, gross). The default scenarios use different ranks and seniority, so this is not a like-for-like comparison — set the same rank in the pay calculator on each unit page.

Sources:
Kampfschwimmer
Taistelusukeltajat