From 4 to 22 September 2023, the AGILE CUB 2023 (AC 23) Student Training Activity (STA) was held by the Department of Intelligence Support (K-111), the Faculty of Military Leadership. Its primary training audience consisted of students of K-111 reconnaissance and intelligence specializations. Following its prove of concept training event back in 2022, this year’s reiteration of AC 23 was truly unique in several ways. Most importantly, for the first time the STA hosted international students, namely two cadets of reconnaissance specialization from the General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces in Wroclaw, Poland. Together with their 82 colleagues of the 2^nd–4^th grades from (the commander of reconnaissance units, intelligence support of the Czech Armed Forces and information resources management) they had an excellent opportunity to test their skills, knowledge and readiness to perform demanding operational tasks related to intelligence and reconnaissance.

As one of the primary goals of the STA was to simulate the real-world conditions of military operations in which intelligence and reconnaissance officers are required to perform their demanding tasks, it was the intention of the STA control staff to take the students out of their comfort zone. Therefore, the participants were subjected to multiple challenges such as sleep deprivation, working under pressure or the variability of weather conditions. They also had to meet high accuracy standards, demonstrate attention to detail skills or ability to apply critical thinking.

Apart from the AC 23 international dimension, communication in English and emphasis on the methodological development of students’ professional competences, this year’s event was also focused on the validation of the complex model of intelligence processes created by the K-111 academic staff. Its essence was explained to the students not only in the classroom, but also during the first week of theoretical training, which took place on the premises of the University of Defence in Brno.

The practical phase of the STA was divided in two weekly blocks and took place in Potštát barracks camp in Libavá Military Training Area (MTA). The initial week was dedicated to the build-up of battalion and brigade-level intelligence staffs, familiarization with intelligence and reconnaissance skills, and individual training with respect to the students’ specialty. This intermediate phase was concluded with a mini-exercise, the purpose of which was to verify the students’ knowledge and skills regarding the contribution of intelligence to the planning process, tasking the recce units, and providing continuous intelligence support to the commander during the execution phase of a military operation.

The STA culminated during the third week, when the students performed a broad spectrum of tasks under a hybrid scenario. In order to achieve maximum realisticity, majority of data and information was obtained from Libavá MTA by four recce teams and assigned capabilities of the 532^nd Electronic Warfare Battalion and 533^rd Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Battalion, kindly provided by the 53^rd Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Regiment. The activities of those elements were planned and managed by the students who performed the tasks of the battalion, brigade and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) unit intelligence staff in a 24/7 shift system.

The K-111 new approach to training and engagement of all participants were appreciated by nearly thirty distinguished guests from the expert community of tactical, operational and strategic levels of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the academic community of the University of Defence, who visited the STA on 20 September 2023. The Director of Intelligence Support Section of the Czech Army, Brigadier General Roman Hytha, positively addressed the effort to create tangible interconnection between academia and military practice. He also praised the work of the K-111 academic staff and encouraged the students to make the most of the opportunity to take advantage of the knowledge and experience gained by their teachers and mentors through their many years of service with units and services of the Czech Armed Forces as well as in multinational operations and staff positions.

The head of K-111 and STA director Col. Petr Hlavizna summarizes: “Perhaps the biggest and long-term challenge to the K-111 staff is the ability to explain the importance of intelligence and reconnaissance specializations to our students. They need to understand that a failure of an individual, regardless his or her position and role within the intelligence cycle and other related processes, can have fatal consequences in the execution of a real combat mission. A sense of duty, personal responsibility, professional knowledge and practical skills, critical thinking, the ability to work under pressure, as well as enthusiasm, empathy, teamwork, respect and humility are just some of the expected competencies we must be able to purposefully develop in our students. It is only through joint efforts that we can meaningfully educate the next generation of young people who will be ready to fulfil their commitment to the military oath.”