King Abdullah Air Defense College

King Abdullah Air Defense College is a military college affiliated with the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces under the Ministry of Defense. It was established in 1998 and began its academic programs in the training year 2002. It gained its current name during the graduation ceremony of the third batch in 2006 and then relocated to Taif City as its permanent headquarters in 2007.

The college undertook the responsibility of conducting a training course for university officers until orders were issued in 2014 assigning this task to King Abdulaziz Military Academy. Then, in 2019, King Abdullah College undertook again carrying out training course for university officers.

King Abdullah Air Defense College aims to prepare an air defense officer with the rank of lieutenant, knowledgeable about fundamental and general military sciences and skills based on the religious and national constants essential for serving in the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces.

The college aims to prepare its enrolled students over three academic years, in cooperation with similar colleges and other national and international educational institutions, to graduate an air force officer with the rank of lieutenant through qualification, educational, and training programs focused on the religious and national constants of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The college bears the tuition expenses and provides the students with food, clothing, accommodation, and treatment. Additionally, a monthly stipend equivalent to half the basic salary of a lieutenant is granted.

It is a structure of knowledge and experiences adopted by the Air Forces Defense Command for college students. The curriculum is chosen based on a scientific methodology to achieve the general and detailed objectives for each subject. Through its curriculum, the college aims to develop the skills and attributes required of its graduates, including military sciences, air defense systems, military training and etiquette, civil studies, and the English language.

The college undergoes a review and evaluation process that encompasses the curriculum, faculty, students, and educational activities every three years in order to achieve the educational and training goals for which it was founded. Furthermore, an agreement for scientific cooperation and educational coordination was concluded with both Taif University and Taif Technical College.

King Abdullah Air Defense College presents scientific materials theoretically in well-equipped classrooms, providing students and faculty with necessary references, course materials, and essential tools for studying, as well as laptops for each student and faculty member at the college. It also offers various laboratories and installations, such as chemistry, physics, computers, English, weapons of mass destruction prevention, small arms disassembly and assembly, map reading, and specialized military training fields. Additionally, the college provides an integrated sports city for various activities.

King Abdullah Air Defense College implements a wide range of activities, including a daily squadron program, sports leagues, cultural events, cross-country runs, lectures, seminars, and domestic and international visits.

Additionally, the college conducts field training exercises involving practical applications. These field exercises encompass a variety of activities, such as map and navigation exercises (day-night), mass destruction weapons defense exercises (day-night), military health applications (first aid), small arms and familiarization firing exercises, local defense and communication exercises, command post setup, day and night long-range marches, and reconnaissance of swap sites and navigation (GPS).

The graduate is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Air Defense and is commissioned as a lieutenant in the Air Defense Forces. They enjoy all benefits stipulated in the Military Officer's Law, including providing healthcare for the officer and their legal dependents, as well as housing for the officer and their family according to the Ministry of Defense's housing projects.

To be admitted to the academy, the applicant must be a Saudi citizen by origin, birth, and residence, of good moral character, and must hold a high school diploma (full-time, day program) issued by the Ministry of Education, with a major in (Natural Sciences or Technology) for all colleges. The applicant must be a recent graduate of the current academic year. Additionally, the applicant's high school GPA must be no less than 80 percent for science majors. The applicant must also obtain a minimum score of 60 percent on the general aptitude test, 60 percent on the academic achievement test, and pass the proficiency test. The applicant's age must fall between seventeen and twenty-two years. Additionally, the applicant must pass the medical examinations (initial and final), as well as a personal interview. The applicant must be unmarried, and their height should be proportionate to their weight, with a minimum of (168 cm - forty-nine kg) and a maximum of (188 cm - 108 kg). Only medical reports issued by the medical committee of the Central Committee for Admitting Students to Military Colleges will be accepted. Finally, the applicant must successfully pass the comprehensive admission tests, the physical fitness test, and the specialized aptitude tests required for the respective colleges.