Turkey proposes joint warship construction with Egypt

Turkey has proposed a joint naval shipbuilding program with Egypt to deepen military and defense cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The proposal was made by Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, during the “Friendship Sea-2026” joint naval exercises held off the coast of Alexandria.

Admiral Tatlıoğlu suggested using Turkey’s MİLGEM (National Ship) program as a model for this partnership, similar to the existing cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan. The initiative aims to advance defense industry collaboration in the maritime sector, potentially including joint activities in weaponry systems and unmanned vehicles.

This move follows a period of rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo, marked by presidential visits and the resumption of joint exercises after a thirteen-year hiatus. However, despite the growing military ties, disputes regarding maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean remain unresolved.