Advanced Command and Staff Course of UK Defence Academy Visits Hungary

The aim of the visit by the group – which consisted of students from the United Kingdom and ten other nations and staff – was to provide students with an in-depth understanding of Hungarian and regional security environments and their challenges, as well as the history and culture of Hungary. This weeklong Regional Security Exercise is an important part of the almost one-year postgraduate training. It is co-organized every year by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and the King’s College London for students holding the rank of major, lieutenant-colonel and for civilian students in respective positions. The fact that students of close to 60 nations attend this training program is an indication of its high standards. The visit was organized by the British Embassy Budapest in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Hungary and the National University of Public Service.

While at the Ministry of Defence, the students received lectures on Hungarian and regional security policy challenges, the role of the Hungarian Defence Forces in military operations, the organizational structure of the Ministry of Defence and the Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program. At the National University of Public Service, they were briefed in detail about the structure of faculties and the NUPS military leadership further training courses.

On 16 November, the group visited the HDF 59th Dezső Szentgyörgyi Air Base, where Base Commander Brig.-Gen. Csaba Ugrik gave a presentation on the history of the base, the Hungarian Gripen program, the tasks of the Hungarian Air Force and its operational role. As part of the program, the students were introduced to the Gripen fighter aircraft and a museum containing decommissioned aircraft, and then visited the pilots’ accommodation area. In the cultural program, they went to see the Parliament Building, the Terror House Museum, a WWI exhibition in the MoD Institute and Museum of Military History, the armory and the Reptár Aviation Museum in Szolnok.

At the end of the visit, Colonel Anne Keetley, the leader of the group told us that this week was a fantastic opportunity to get to know a highly important allied country and the challenges of the region. She said she was especially pleased that the group had time to learn about Hungarian history and culture, and that she found the Parliament Building beautiful. She hopes they will have occasion to organize more study tours to Hungary in the future within the ACSC program.