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” manoeuvres, which will run until 26 September, were announced by Turkey’s Ministry of Defence 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 defence ministry, the exercises will involve 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.

A “Distinguished Observers’ Day” will be held on 25 September, attended by the naval commanders of both countries. As part of the drills, the Egyptian naval vessels ENS Tahya Misr and ENS Fouad Zekry will visit the port of Aksaz in Turkey.

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.”

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.”

A Tale of Two Navies

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 defence capabilities.

The Egyptian Navy: Strongest in the Arab World

The Egyptian Navy is tasked with protecting over 2,000 kilometres 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 metres 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 centred 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 Turkish Navy: A Focus on Domestic Production

Turkey has invested heavily in developing a domestic naval industry with the aim of building a large and modern fleet, which may soon include its first indigenous aircraft carrier. Ankara recently announced the construction of three new warships of local design: a submarine, an aircraft carrier, and the TF-2000 air defence destroyer, bringing the total number of Turkish warships currently under construction to 31.

At present, Turkey’s navy consists of 90 platforms, including one helicopter carrier, 13 submarines, 17 frigates, and 34 patrol vessels.

Its flagship is the TCG Anadolu, an amphibious assault ship that entered service in 2023. While designed to land troops, Turkish officials have indicated it will also be used as a carrier for various types of armed drones. The 232-metre ship can carry tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, and landing craft.

The Turkish surface fleet’s modernisation is driven by the domestic MILGEM warship programme, which produced the TCG Istanbul frigate. Delivered in January 2024, the ship is equipped with Turkish-made systems, including the ATMACA anti-ship missile, the MİDLAS vertical launching system, and the ADVENT combat management system.

Turkey’s submarine fleet is being upgraded with the new Reis-class submarines, the first of which, the Piri Reis, entered service last year. By 2029, Turkey will operate six of these advanced attack submarines, which are equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system and will be armed with the domestically produced Akya heavyweight torpedo and Atmaca anti-ship missile.