Bugle Summer 2026 - Flipbook - Page 45
8 RIFLES
FLYING HIGH – 8 RIFLES DRONE CAPABILITY
Since January, 8 RIFLES has rapidly
expanded its drone capability, responding
to the growing demand for tactical
surveillance and enhanced situational
awareness during light role operations.
The number of qualified remote pilots
has steadily grown across Companies to
seven, with a further two attending the
next operator’s course, creating a core
group capable of planning, integrating, and
executing small uncrewed aerial system
(sUAS) tasks at Platoon and Company level.
This has seen the capability move from a
niche asset to a routinely requested enabler.
Pilots are trained on commercially
available platforms, delivering short-range
reconnaissance, route confirmation, and target
indication. These systems have proven highly
effective during field training, allowing junior
commanders to make faster, better-informed
decisions while reducing risk to personnel.
Rfn Fisher highlighted the importance of
this emerging capability: “sUAS is a pressing
and relevant battlespace capability and it’s
great that we’re implementing them into our
own capabilities. Having rapidly deployable
drones gives infantrymen an unmatched
battlespace awareness.” Fisher also noted the
wider benefit of qualification, stating: “With
the civilian licence provided, the course is
not only great for soldiering but also a skill
deployable in the civilian workplace.”
Looking ahead, the Battalion aims to
expand pilot numbers across all Companies
and establish an organic, Battalion-held
capability. Alongside the introduction of a
drone simulation suite in Hartlepool, this will
accelerate training and ensure sUAS remains
a core component of how 8 RIFLES fights
and trains.
Capt David Snowden
Coy 2IC, D Coy
FORM SQUARE!
In March, 8 RIFLES honoured their
predecessors by attending Ex SALAMANCA
BUGLE, a Battlefield Study led by Major
(Retd) Rob Yuill, a Peninsular War historian
and now SO2 Light Div, HQ Infantry.
It is Spain, 1812, and the Napoleonic Wars
rage on. What did it take to survive? Many
might say the ability to fire three rounds a
minute in any weather, but there was far more
to it, as we discovered.
This trip focused on the 1808–1814 war,
fought across Spain and Portugal as part of
the wider Napoleonic conflict and saw 15
members of 8 RIFLERS journey to Spain, where
Rob’s expertise guided us through nine siege
sites, tracing this stage of the conflict as it
unfolded.
As we retraced the steps of the retreating
troops, the physical challenge became clear.
Climbing uphill, pausing to find vantage points,
and grappling with the difficulty of reloading
a Baker Rifle under minimal cover gave us a
new appreciation for the soldiers’ endurance
and skill.
Later, over a refreshing glass of cold Vinho
Verde, we reflected on these hardships. There,
standing in the modern streets, we re-enacted
the urban warfare tactics of the period,
bringing history vividly to life amid the echoes
of the past.
Our study concluded at the Battle of
Salamanca, 22 July 1812, laying a wreath to
remember our antecedent regiments, whilst
Bugle Major Redshaw played the Last Post.
Pte Gemma Nicholls, RRMT, HQ Coy
RIFLES The Bugle 45
