RAF Fitness Test now IT not PT..
 

https://news.sky.com/story/raf-recru...chief-12652062

RAF recruits shouldn't worry about passing fitness tests if they are tech fit, says military chief

Anyone thinking about a career in the Royal Air Force need no longer worry too much about passing a fitness test, provided they know how to work-out on a keyboard.

The head of the RAF signalled recruiting people with skills in data and digital technology - even if they cannot do a set number of timed push-ups and pre-dawn runs - is increasingly important in a world where having a technological edge is vital for militaries to succeed.

Individuals with autism and other forms of neurodiversity should also consider a career in the RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said.

Speaking at the RAF's annual air and space power conference, he stressed the need to hire from the widest pool of talent as the focus of his service expands from flying fast jets, transport planes and helicopters to also fighting remotely, with machines, codes and artificial intelligence.

Many of the people the air force is recruiting today "will still be in service in 2040 so that's the force we need to be recruiting to", he told the conference of fellow air chiefs and their staff, who have travelled to London from around the world. "It will be about data and digital and… we probably won't need people that must pass a physical fitness test," he said.

"We can have different standards. We can look at different parts of society that we haven't recruited from traditionally. But that is the nature of what a war fighter in the 2040s could be, so thinking, as part of agile thinking about the technology of 2040, thinking through the demographics of the work force that is going to be operating that technology and then you have to start recruiting them today."

I had rather thought that the ongoing unpleasantness in Ukraine highlighted the continuing need for traditional military skills and attributes and how do we feel about “ Individuals with autism and other forms of neurodiversity” handling loaded firearms?

Are we sure that Wokeston isn’t a Russian infiltrator? :confused::}

Terrifying. It was/ is bad enough giving almost all Met. folk annual NBC, and a fair number a nine mil.

I wonder what Ben Wallace thinks? We certainly know what CGS thinks from Sanders’ very recent RUSI speech:

Actually an awful lot of the effective warfare has been geeks designing a distributed targeting network working on mobile phones and Starlink terminals, others 3D printing tails and wings for mortars to be dropped by drones running on AI bombing algorithms and non-GPS navigation, and others running a supremely effective social media PR campaign.

Not everyone has to carry a gun.

Warfare is changing. We need to adapt, else we’d still be fretting about buying the right sabres for the cavalry or worrying about the armour belt thickness of a Battleship. Pointless having a battalion of muscle mechanics the wrong side of the apocryphal river if a pop tart eating cyber nerd with relationship issues and a heavy metal T-shirt can infiltrate your ever more networked systems and get your own FIRES to drop on you. Tip of the spear stuff will always need excellent physical conditioning, but, increasingly, the brain is as, if not more, important. Looking at the sort of person who is an expert on this sort of skill, marching up and down the square is unlikely to attract them.

ORAC, as we often are, in violent agreement….

All true no doubt, but is all that not the job of other organisations? . Carrying a gun is surely the very definition of an armed service. So how many of our 30,000 AirForce will be “pop tart eating cyber nerds”?

correct, otherwise why put people through GDT training?

what next, troops working from home?

Like Ukrainians, you mean?

CG

GDT, that went out with puttees, but I get your sentiment.

During Covid, the Armed Forces realised that sometimes working from home has been beneficial. Less getting bothered by rubbish on camp, fewer distractions and, I suppose, a lot of savings.

Don’t worry though, mission planning and flying is still a priority. There are still somethings you can’t do from home. MOD 1,2,3 (GDT) being an example.

I do worry though about the inequality of having some people in the RAF having to do mandatory fitness tests and being possibly discharged due to failing, whilst others in the RAF get a free pass.

For those of you in the old guard who have gone apoplectic with rage against any new (insert subject) this IT not PT is not a thing….yet.

But surely if you a have an unfit cyber geek that can’t carry a rifle as they are a bit of a liability in a temper tantrum, then you just let them join GCHQ? No need to dress them up in a uniform so that they look like a potato in a sock!

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c1116c90f.jpeg

LJ, there are still plenty of potato in a sock individuals around!

Toadstool :ok:

I also can’t help thinking about Cartman and Weightgain 4000… :)

Don’t be a fool LJ - they would never join up, the food isn’t good enough! :cool:

Serious mode on. Has anyone thought through the fact that physically unfit people have a higher mortality rate - ie. leading to more ‘death in service’ payments? They will likely cost more for Medical Services to sort out their high blood pressure, depression, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, higher likelihood of cancers, heart disease and generally higher occurrences of sickness. They will also have to procure and stock far wider ranges of uniform sizes. There will be a significant cost for not trying to keep people fairly fit and healthy - which the fitness test does…?

Serious mode off. Bloomin’ bonkers :ugh:

Already had to be able to fit the 95% percentile. More hours/days/lives lost to exercise and sport injuries etc etc.

Frankly, all lost in the small change - and you don’t want to deliberately ignore a Mr Robot just because he can’t do press-ups.

The people you need in Space Command aren’t the guys from Starship Troopers…

Some of the cold war warriors I served with in the RAF in the 80s were the most unfit people one could work with. Fitness test brought in to deal with it. Fitter people tend to be better all round in all aspects of the mental game as well if under pressure. Fact not fiction.