Three service personnel from The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1 RGR) were awarded 3* coins for their work on the recent British Army Drone Wars 2026 Competition. This competition was all about tactical drone warfare and was conducted at the Barossa Training Area, Sandhurst, alongside Military International Drone Racing Tournament (MIDRT) UK 26.
The event was run by 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Army’s lead formation for developing how to fight with and against drones. Open to competitors from across the Tri-Service community, the event attracted 57 teams. Conducted in a Cambrian Patrol-style format, teams completed a series of tactical stands and mission-focused scenarios using Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) to achieve operational objectives. The competition assessed participants’ ability to employ drones in realistic military scenarios, including reconnaissance, target acquisition, mission planning, and tactical problem-solving, reflecting the growing importance of small UAS capabilities across Defence.
“This is a competition to learn to get better at fighting with drones,” says Brigadier Ed Cartwright, who helped develop the concept. “Ultimately that’s learning to get better at killing.”
The 3* Coins recipients were:
Captain Elis Morgan, employed as the event coordinator for this event, was responsible for stand design and small UAS employment. He thanked the team for their hard work and commended the efforts of all participants.
Colour Sergeant Shandesh Sherchan (The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles) demonstrated exceptional leadership as CSM and G4 Lead during Drone Wars 2026 and the MIDRT UK 26, providing outstanding logistical support, manpower management and coordination across multiple locations. His professionalism, initiative and ability to manage complex priorities were key to the event’s success.
Sergeant Bijoy Rai demonstrated outstanding leadership as Exercise Conducting Officer (ECO) for British Army Drone Wars 26 (Tactical Drone Competition) 2026. His excellent planning, coordination and effective execution ensured successful delivery of this high-profile event. His leadership, commitment, initiative and professionalism played a vital role during the competition.
