FAQ
Common questions
Straight answers about the Defence Aptitude Assessment, and about the practice on this site. There is no account, and there is no fee.
What is the DAA?
The Defence Aptitude Assessment is the aptitude test you sit when you apply to the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines or the RAF. It is six timed, multiple-choice sections. The questions are not hard on their own. The difficulty is the clock, and the change from one kind of task to the next.
Who sits the DAA?
Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF candidates sit the same six sections. The score you need depends on the service and the role. Some RAF roles, including pilot, sit a different aptitude test. Your recruiter will tell you which one. The British Army uses a different computer test for soldiers, the Army Cognitive Test.
How many sections does the DAA have?
Six, in this order: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, work rate, spatial reasoning, electrical comprehension, then mechanical comprehension. Numerical reasoning and spatial reasoning each have two parts.
How long does the DAA take?
The questions themselves take about 70 minutes. Verbal reasoning is 20 questions in 15 minutes. Numerical reasoning is 12 questions in 4 minutes, then 15 questions on graphs and tables in 11 minutes. Work rate is 20 questions in 4 minutes. Spatial reasoning is 10 questions in 4 minutes, then 10 questions in 4 minutes. Electrical comprehension is 22 questions in 15 minutes. Mechanical comprehension is 19 questions in 13 minutes. On the full practice test there is a short pause before each section.
Is there a DAA pass mark?
There is no single pass mark. Each service sets the score needed for each role, so the same result can be enough for one role and short of another. A good score is the one that opens the role you want. Your recruiter, or the careers site for your service, has the current standard. This site does not invent a mark.
Can you prepare for the DAA?
Yes. Learn what each section asks, then practise on the clock. A four-week study plan is in the guide. Every section on this site is free, with a worked example and an answer key.
Is the DAA the same as the CBAT?
No. The DAA is the six-section test most Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF applicants sit. The CBAT is a different aptitude test used for some RAF roles, including pilot. This site does not cover the CBAT. Your recruiter will tell you which test your role uses.
What order are the sections in?
Verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, work rate, spatial reasoning, electrical comprehension, mechanical comprehension. The full practice test runs them in that order.
What happens after the DAA?
Your score affects which roles you can go for. What comes next depends on the service and the role: further assessment, an interview, a fitness test and a medical are all part of joining. Some RAF roles have a further aptitude test. Your recruiter sets the order.
Is this practice official?
No. It is unofficial, and it is not affiliated with the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the RAF, the British Army or the Ministry of Defence. The questions are built from a real Defence Aptitude Assessment that was sat and passed.
Can I practise on my phone?
Yes. You do not need an account. The Royal Navy says it is fine to practise on a phone, and that the real assessment needs a screen of at least 10.2 inches. The diagram sections are easier to read on a larger screen.
Unofficial. Not affiliated with the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force, the British Army or the Ministry of Defence.