Egypt and Turkey on Monday launched joint naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, resuming the drills for the first time in 13 years in a clear sign of developing relations and a shared goal of enhancing joint operational capabilities.
The “Sea of Friendship” manoeuvers, which run until 26 September, were announced by Turkey’s Ministry of Defense as part of an effort to “develop bilateral relations and enhance joint interoperability.” The drills were last held in 2013 before a decade-long diplomatic rupture.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the exercises involves the Turkish frigates TCG Oruçreis and TCG Gediz, the assault boats TCG Imbat and TCG Bora, the submarine TCG Gür, and two F-16 fighter jets, alongside units from the Egyptian Navy.
The resumption of the drills comes amid a significant warming of relations, highlighted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who recently described ties with Cairo as being at their “best levels in modern history,” Daily News Egypt reported.
This growing military cooperation was further cemented in August, when the two countries signed an agreement for the joint manufacturing of vertical take-off and landing drones (VTOL-UAVs). The deal between Turkey’s Havelsan defence technology company and Egypt’s Arab Organisation for Industrialisation was hailed by Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen, as a “milestone” representing a “new chapter in enhancing cooperation.”
The exercises bring together two of the region’s most formidable naval powers. The global military ranking site WDMMW places Turkey’s navy 10th in the world and Egypt’s 13th, making it the strongest in the Arab world. The site’s ranking is based on total combat strength, the quality and diversity of military inventory, modernisation, logistical support, and attack and defense capabilities.
The Egyptian Navy is tasked with protecting over 2,000 kilometers of coastline on the Mediterranean and Red Seas, as well as the crucial Suez Canal. Its arsenal comprises over 100 platforms, including two helicopter carriers, eight submarines, 13 frigates, seven corvettes, and 48 patrol vessels.
Key assets include two French-made Mistral-class helicopter carriers, the ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser and the ENS Anwar El Sadat. Each vessel is 199 meters long, can carry up to 16 heavy attack helicopters or 35 light helicopters, and transport dozens of combat vehicles.
Egypt’s surface fleet is bolstered by advanced frigates, including the Italian Fincantieri Bergamini-class and the German-made Meko A-200 stealth frigate, one of which is being jointly manufactured at the Alexandria shipyard. The Meko A-200 is armed with a 127mm main gun, surface-to-air missiles, and anti-ship missiles.
Cairo’s underwater capabilities are centered on its German-built Type 209/1400 diesel-electric attack submarines. Known for their low acoustic signatures, which make them difficult to detect, these submarines are equipped with eight torpedo tubes capable of launching up to 14 torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as deploying sea mines.
The “Sea of Friendship 2025” exercise is part of a broader plan of joint military drills carried out by the Egyptian Armed Forces in cooperation with friendly and allied nations across various specialties, the Egyptian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
These exercises contribute to strengthening military cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the adoption of the latest combat tactics and methodologies, the statement added. (Egyptian and Turkish Ministries of Defense; Daily News Egypt; Photo © Egyptian Ministry of Defense)
