[REVISION HISTORY]

Turkey and Egypt naval cooperation

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2026-11-10 15:45 UTC → 2026-11-10 21:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Turkey and Egypt conducted the “Sea of Friendship 2026” joint naval exercises in Alexandria from November 4 to November 9, 2026. The drills, which include surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and air defense, follow a period of diplomatic rapprochement and a military cooperation agreement signed in February 2026. The exercises concluded on November 9, having focused on testing sea, air, and amphibious operational capabilities. Participating assets included the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, the frigate TCG Gaziantep, several combat boats, SH-70 helicopters, AH-1W attack helicopters, and Bayraktar TB3 unmanned aerial vehicles. Egyptian participation featured the multi-purpose amphibious ship Gamal Abdel Nasser alongside several other naval vessels. During a Distinguished Observer Day, Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu and Egyptian Naval Forces Commander Rear Admiral Mahmud Adel Fawzy monitored the operations. The drills involved various scenarios, such as air-sea integration, special operations, and asymmetric threat simulations involving drones and jet skis. Joint search and seizure operations were also conducted by Turkish SAT teams and Egyptian special operations units. Following the maneuvers, Admiral Tatlıoğlu emphasized that the Turkish and Egyptian navies are “two primary actors for ensuring security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.” He ~~also expressed interest in expanding defense industry cooperation, specifically regarding naval technology and potential~~ proposed a joint naval shipbuilding ~~projects~~ program using Turkey’s MİLGEM (National Ship) program as a model, similar to existing cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan. This initiative aims to advance defense industry collaboration in the ~~MILGEM program.~~ maritime sector, potentially including joint activities in weaponry systems and unmanned vehicles. Despite these growing military ties, disputes regarding maritime boundaries and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean remain unresolved.

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