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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Julia Demaree Nikhinson

West Point military competition tests future soldiers, in photos

APTOPIX Sandhurst Military Skills Competition - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Amid the Iran war, tensions with European allies in NATO and the Russia-Ukraine war, the United States Military Academy held its 59th Sandhurst Military Skills Competition. Across 36 hours, a mix of international and U.S. military cadet teams competed in a variety of skill-based competitions, based on the needs of the military. For the first time, cadets used video game controllers to simulate first-person view drone attacks, an exercise added due to the proliferation of drone warfare. The West Point black team won for the fourth year in a row.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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