there is an awful lot of guff in this thread. The basis for the different standards between male and female is easy - the MSFT is an accurate predictor for your VO2 Max (1). The Fitness Test, RN or RAF, is set at a level for either sex that refers to the quantile that you, as an active service person, should fit in. For Females, the average VO2 Max is 35 - 43 ml/kg/min (2): this equates to a MSFT level of 6.6 - 8.11 (3); the RAF's required standard is 7.2 - 8.6, right in the middle of this 'average' range. The corresponding figures for men are: 44 - 51 ml/kg/min; 9.4 - 11.4 and 9.10 - 11.6 - much the same spread.
There is no discrimination between male and female, merely natural physiological differences. If the RAF, or RN, wished to create a functional test of fitness then there could obviously be no difference the required standard.
(1)
VO2 max - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(2)
Runner's & Triathlete's Web - A Running and Triathlon Resource Site [note, this the forst of several you can find via google. I've no doubt there is a journal article you could find if you had the right academic log-on. Alternatively, ask your PEd team..]
(3)
Multistage Fitness Test Table