Turkey, Egypt announce joint naval drills in Mediterranean

ANKARA, Oct. 29 (YPA) – The Turkish Ministry of National Defense has revealed plans to conduct a joint naval exercise with the Egyptian Navy next month under the title “Sea of Friendship 2026,” as part of ongoing military cooperation between the two nations.

According to the ministry, the drills will cover surface naval operations, anti-submarine warfare, air defense, and underwater attack operations. As part of the exercise, the Turkish frigate TCG Burgazada is scheduled to make a port call in Alexandria from November 1 to 3.

The joint maneuvers take place amid growing military coordination between Cairo and Ankara, marked by high-level exchanges between military officials and combined training exercises spanning naval, air, and land domains.

The “Sea of Friendship” exercises resumed in September 2025 following a 13-year hiatus. Initially launched in 2009, the joint drills continued annually until 2013, when they were suspended due to the strain in bilateral political relations.

YPA