King Fahd Naval Academy

King Fahd Naval Academy is a military educational school for the naval forces under the Ministry of Defense in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It aims to graduate officers capable of performing duties in the navy, border guards, or forces of any country, teaching them leadership and management. Each year, among its batches, it graduates a number of students from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as well as students from some allied Arab and Islamic countries.

The King Fahd Naval Academy was established in the city of al-Jubayl in the Kingdom on April 19, 1983, following the issuance of a resolution by the Council of Ministers. Subsequently, the Minister of Defense and Aviation at the time (currently the Minister of Defense) issued a resolution to commence the 1986 academic year for high school graduates from the 'Scientific Section' and a suitable number of university graduates according to the specializations needed each year.

The King Fahd Naval Academy aims to develop the intellectual, military, and leadership aspects of the student's personality, providing them with theoretical and practical military sciences education. It offers high-level military training on the latest military systems and qualifies students in the fundamental naval sciences. The academy also seeks to enhance the physical fitness of students through high-level programs and teach them all sciences related to their work and life, instilling in them a spirit of loyalty and dedication.

The mandates of the King Fahd Naval Academy include graduating competent and highly qualified officers to carry out the duties and tasks assigned to them in their naval forces. The academy focuses on educating students and providing them with the necessary military, academic, and naval sciences, equipping them with the appropriate culture in terms of religious, scientific, and military knowledge. It also aims to furnish students practically and physically with the experiences and skills in modern management and leadership, enabling them to perform their field and administrative work with high efficiency. Additionally, the academy seeks to maximize students' benefits from contemporary technological advancements, ensuring they can fulfill their duties as officers capable of serving and developing their military sector in the naval forces.

The academy also undertakes the task of qualifying the students to be capable of comprehending naval technologies, making them more adept at understanding and dealing with these technologies in the future. Students are taught through what the academy's wings and departments provide, both theoretically and practically, to benefit from modern means and technologies for operation room activities, monitoring various targets, and dealing with them. It aims to achieve the principle of total quality through the sciences received by the students, helping them grasp all administrative, naval, military, and specialized sciences. The academy enables students to engage in research operations and practical training, in addition to acquiring practical skills in modern leadership arts and dealing with military developments under various conditions and circumstances. It provides all opportunities and facilitates ways for students to qualify for knowing different devices and tools, how to use them, and deal with them in executing tasks and various military responsibilities. It introduces students to the importance of correct behavior, how to make the appropriate decision at the right time, considering safety and its methods to protect individuals and equipment, and trains students on high performance and positive interaction with orders and instructions issued by the command.

King Fahd Naval Academy has set the duration of study at approximately three years, which students spend at the academy. The academic year is divided into two semesters: the first semester and the second semester, with each lasting fifteen weeks. Before entering the three main phases, there is an orientation period, which begins at the start of the student's enrollment in the academy and lasts for forty-five days. During this period, the student learns military sciences and undergoes military training. It also serves to assess the student's suitability for continuing at the academy. The student becomes acquainted with military systems, the basics of training and weapon handling, and the principles of self-discipline. He learns the importance of loyalty, obedience, listening, and following orders. Additionally, the student receives training within military formations and participates in various ceremonial displays.

Education at King Fahd Naval Academy is divided into several departments, which are: 'The Academic Sciences Wing', where students are prepared and qualified, and their academic level and efficiency are enhanced by studying academic sciences such as law, administrative sciences, sciences, Islamic studies, computer sciences, and meteorology and oceans. 'The naval Sciences Wing,' where all programs for teaching naval science subjects for various naval specializations are executed according to the designated curricula and programs, such as navigation, operations, armament, engineering, naval arts, and communications. 'The English Language Wing,' where the English language is taught at various levels according to the objectives defined by the policy and training plans of the naval forces.

It welcomes newly enrolled students at the academy and undertakes all tasks related to their military, behavioral, and physical qualifications, managing all their administrative and educational affairs. Among the important programs through which the student battalion aims at qualifying students within the academy are: the Leadership Skills Program, which trains students on leadership traits and focuses on enhancing their inherent strengths; the Military Training and Qualification Program, overseeing special projects related to military training such as shooting exercises, long marches, various field trainings, and instructing students on the use of different weapons and their maintenance; and the Cultural and Sports Activity Program, organizing sports competitions within the academy in various sports, as well as arranging cultural meetings and lectures within the academy.

Naval students graduate from King Fahd Naval Academy with a Bachelor's degree in Military and Naval Sciences. Students have the opportunity to determine and choose their preferred specialization from available ones before graduation time to pursue post-graduation. The academy fulfills the requests and preferences for enrollment in the required specializations for more than 90 percent of students according to their preference. These specializations include:

- 'Executive,' which is the foundation of the naval forces, where the officer serves on the naval force ships as a naval officer, progressing through naval specializations during their service until reaching the position of ship commander and continues in this specialization.

- 'Supply,' for working as supply officers in various supply departments, such as warehouses, procurement, and computers; 'Aviation,' the second best specialization within the naval forces where officers are trained in vertical flight abroad and return as naval aviators; 'Marine Infantry,' where officers work within the marine infantry force; and 'Special Forces,' becoming special forces officers requires completing a six-month special forces course, among other sub-specializations like joining the border guard.

For admission to King Fahd Naval Academy, applicants must meet several criteria, which are: they must be of Saudi nationality, have obtained a high school diploma from the Ministry of Education as a graduate of the current year, and have passed the necessary medical examinations.