Both countries, which have a budding relationship, are exploring joint shipbuilding to bolster their defense ties.
Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, commander of Turkey’s navy, detailed the potential partnership during the Sea of Friendship 2026 naval exercise in Alexandria, Egypt.
For the exercise, Egypt and Turkey brought their naval forces together to participate in a five-day military training that ran from November 4 to 9.
The exercises were overseen by Egypt’s Northern Fleet following its resumption in 2025, after a 13-year suspension.
Among Turkey’s contributions was the TCG Anadolu, its biggest naval vessel and a key part of its amphibious operations.
The two countries used the exercise to train for different combat situations, including attacks on enemy ships, submarine threats, air defence and underwater missions.
The exercise also provided an opportunity for senior naval officials from both countries to meet.
On November 7, Turkish naval commander Tatlıoğlu held discussions with Egypt’s Navy Commander, Vice Adm. Mahmoud Adel Fawzy, at Alexandria Naval Base.
The Turkish naval commander noted that the exercise reflected the close military relationship between Turkey and Egypt, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He pointed to the growing use of unmanned technology by both navies, revealing that the drills featured Turkey’s Bayraktar TB3 drone and the MKE Pirana, an unmanned surface vessel designed for one-way missions.
“We aim to take our defense industry cooperation in the maritime domain to a more advanced level by undertaking joint shipbuilding activities with Egypt, similar to the cooperation we have established with Pakistan under the MILGEM Project,” Tatlıoğlu said.
Turkey, which ranks as the world’s 9th strongest military and boasts the Middle East’s top naval fleet strength, has also been working to build more of its naval equipment locally through the MILGEM programme.
The initiative has produced Ada-class corvettes and Istanbul-class frigates, both used by the Turkish Navy, as seen on DefenseNews.
Other versions of its vessels have also been developed for the navies of Pakistan, Ukraine and Malaysia, while Romania has received a Hisar-class offshore patrol vessel.
Egypt’s naval commander, Vice Adm. Mahmoud Adel Fawzy, also praised the exercise, saying it was properly organised and carried out despite challenging conditions at sea.
“This activity demonstrates that we are on the right track,” he said.
“We can train together, plan together and conduct ship-boarding activities together. We can work together. In the near future, the Egyptian and Turkish navies may be able to operate side by side, shoulder to shoulder, on joint missions,” he added.
The drills came at a time of renewed activity around Turkey’s maritime interests in the region.
They were held just 15 days after Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives in Benghazi unanimously approved a maritime agreement between Turkey and Libya on October 20.
Source: africa.businessinsider.com
