Türkiye, Egypt launch first joint naval exercise in 13 years

Türkiye and Egypt began a joint naval exercise on Monday,22 September 2025,their first in over a decade,signaling a significant thaw in relations between the two countries.

The five-day drill,codenamed *Bahr El Sadaka* (“Friendship Sea”),runs until 26 September in the Eastern Mediterranean,with Türkiye contributing frigates,submarines,fast attack craft,and F-16 jets. Officials and analysts describe the exercise as a demonstration of military interoperability and a strategic move to counter shifting regional dynamics,particularly maritime disputes,and energy competition.

The rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo is rooted in shared positions on key regional conflicts,including calls for a Gaza ceasefire,support for Syria’s territorial integrity,and opposition to Israel’s expansionist policies. Experts argue that the cooperation is not merely tactical but part of a broader realignment,reinforced by 17 MoUs signed last year and new defensce-industrial ventures,such as a March 2025 agreement between Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization and Turkish firm Havelsan to co-produce drones.

For Egypt,the exercises enhance its military capacity and long-term defense industry ambitions,while for Türkiye,they bolster its Blue Homeland maritime strategy and its influence in the Mediterranean.