Establishing a college for higher military studies was a subject of special importance to His Majesty the Late King Hussein since the seventies of the last century. Until then, the requirements of strategic planning in the Armed Forces depended mainly on the skills acquired by a limited number of competent officers who had been given the opportunity to receive advanced military training abroad. Despite the importance of such qualification, it lacked a major aspect needed by the Jordanian military thinking, namely the national dimension. This meant a profound understanding of the Jordanian environment and its various aspects, strategic requirements, and its direct relationship to the elements of the Jordanian military strategy. That situation formed a flaw in the education, way of thinking, and personality of the Jordanian officer at this level.

Against such a backdrop, the Royal Jordanian War College was established to bridge the gap between the higher military knowledge and the national requirements for strategic military planning within the framework of a profound understanding of both the regional and international strategic environment and its contemporary developments. During the past eighteen years the mission of the War College constituted the axial power around which revolved the principal efforts and activities. The mission of the Royal Jordanian War College was to (Qualify a select number of officers from the Jordanian Armed Forces and participants from brotherly and friendly countries to assume prominent positions with significant responsibilities in peace and in war).

On 1 February 1986, His Majesty the Late King Hussein officially opened the Royal Jordanian War College and the first War College Course started in July1986.

“Today, a great dream is realized and the wishful thinking comes into being as a reality and a fact. The elements of this thinking assemble in a coherent whole represented by the faculty and the select group of our officers as it is represented in the (College’s) plan, curriculum, and the clarity of the goal and the requirements of its fulfillment. Today, while we are standing at a new station on the road of building and development to celebrate what we have achieved, it is essential that we embrace another new dream and achieve it with effort, hard work, and planning, and care for it with resolution and determination so that such a dream will be added to the achievements of our beloved country….Thus, our blessed march will continue in harmony with its own beautiful and inspired rhythm, guarded by the eye of God and pushed forward by the arms of the citizens, their minds, and their initiative.” Hussein Bin Talal ” July1, 1986

As the years went by, the Royal Jordanian War College succeeded in becoming a pioneering educational establishment that carried its message in capably developing the Jordanian military thought. During that time, the College graduated fifteen courses, thus providing our Armed Forces, and those of brotherly and friendly countries, with a fine group of officers qualified to assume field and strategic leadership and staff positions at higher levels. By so doing, the College contributed largely to the development of these officers’ leadership capabilities and their thinking skills at a strategic level.

The Royal Jordanian War College made great strides because of the immense support and the remarkable attention of His Majesty King Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein, the Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces. However, His Majesty’s support and attention did not stop there.

During this period many studies were conducted to transform the War College into National Defense College with retaining the essential characteristics, functions, and roles the War College practiced in previous years.
 

Early in 2002, His Majesty directed that the War College be transformed into a Defense College. As a result, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff instructed that this transformation should be implemented within the time frame June 2002 – October 2003, the latter date being the opening of the first National Defense Course.

In this context, a number of studies were carried out and a number of options were closely looked into in order to bring this important transformation into light. A decision was made, a Royal Decree was issued, and the Royal Jordanian National Defense College became a reality. To bridge any gap that may exist between the officer's previous level of learning and the new level of learning provided by the National Defense College, an intermediate military course was felt necessary for potential students. Therefore, this course was created for officers in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel and was named “JointOperations Course.” Its mission is to secure the requirements of military qualification necessary for the officer at this level. The first Joint Operations Course was held on 20 February 2003 and the first National Defense Course started on 2 October the same year.

Doing so, the college moved from dealing with the military strategy level to examining the national strategy and governmental policies in the area of security and defense in Jordan.

The new building of the Royal Jordanian National Defense College was inaugurated on July 14, 2005 under the patronage of his Majesty the Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
 

Re-activate the war course
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also agreed in 21/1/2008 to stop running the joint operations course and start running the war course in 2009. War course no. 16 was held as of the beginning of July 2009 simultaneously with the national defense course 7/2010.