SASR / Commando vs Recces
Fitness test and pay side by side. The published minimum fitness standards of SASR / Commando and Recces, event by event, with pay where we have it. Higher levels are in the paid report.
AUSTRALIAAustralian Army — Special Forces Operator (SASR, 1st & 2nd Commando Regiment)Special Forces PFA (Pre-entry Fitness Assessment)OFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →
SOUTH AFRICASouth African Special Forces Brigade — 4 and 5 Special Forces Regiment (Recces)Special Forces entry phase (secondary sources)APPROXIMATElast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →Minimum standards, event by event
| Event | SASR / Commando | Recces |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-upsRecces: Sit-ups in 2 min | 60 | 67stricter |
| Push-upsRecces: Push-ups without breaking rhythm | 40same | 40same |
| Shuttle run (beep test), level.shuttle | 10.1only this unit | — |
| Over-grasp heaves (pull-ups) | 6only this unit | — |
| 175 m fireman’s lift run, carrying another person | — | 1:05only this unit |
| 5 km run | — | 24:00only this unit |
| Shuttle run, 40 × 6 m | — | 1:35only 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
Recces sets the higher minimum in: sit-ups.
Same minimum: push-ups.
SASR / Commando tests 4 events, Recces tests 5 events.
Pay
No pay data yet.
Amounts are in each country’s own currency and are not converted.
Questions
Is SASR / Commando or Recces harder to get into?
Recces sets the higher minimum in: sit-ups. Same minimum: push-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 SASR / Commando and Recces fitness tests differ?
SASR / Commando: 4 events (sit-ups, push-ups, beep test, heaves). Recces: 5 events (push-ups, sit-ups, fireman, run 5k, shuttle).
Does SASR / Commando or Recces pay more?
We have pay data for SASR / Commando (A$167,009/year, default scenario, gross) but not yet for Recces.
- Minimum (enlistment) — ADF Careers — Special Forces Operator; Fitness requirements (Army → Special Forces) (2026-10-18)
- Minimum (same for all candidates) — defenceWeb, “SA Special Forces are recruiting” (28.02.2025, citing the SANDF announcement); confirmed by defenceWeb, “Fact file: Special Forces training” (18.01.2010) and L. Engelbrecht, A Guide to the SANDF, ch. 8 (2007, citing careers.mil.za) (2025-02-28) · APPROXIMATE