Turkey and Egypt staged their first joint naval drill in over a decade last week, signaling a cautious thaw in relations following years of political hostility. The exercise, named Sea of Friendship-2025 (Bahr El Sadaka), took place between 22 and 26 September 2025 and marked the first training of its kind since 2012.
The drills were attended by top naval officials, including Turkish Fleet Commander Admiral Kadir Yıldız and Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Navy Rear Admiral Mohamed Hassan El-Sherbeny. Previously, both countries had conducted regular joint exercises until political relations deteriorated after the overthrow of Egypt’s government, halting defence cooperation for more than a decade.
The exercise comes in the wake of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s February 2024 visit to Cairo, his first in 12 years, which launched a broader normalization process encompassing political, economic, and security dimensions. This opening has paved the way for dialogue, trade, and renewed military collaboration.
Retired Rear Admiral Cem Okyay described the drill as both symbolic and practical, emphasizing that while Turkish and Egyptian ships have long shared Eastern Mediterranean waters, conducting joint drills after such a long hiatus reflects a deliberate diplomatic and military initiative. Beyond operational training, he noted potential for defense industry cooperation, modernization projects, and humanitarian missions.
International relations expert Serhat Güvenç framed the event as a notable thaw in ties, suggesting it signals the end of a long freeze. He also highlighted that the exercise sends a subtle message to Israel amid regional tensions. However, he cautioned against overstating the rapprochement, noting Egypt’s recent rejection of Turkey’s maritime boundary agreement with Libya demonstrates that core strategic interests remain unaligned.
While the joint exercise indicates that the “bad old days” between Ankara and Cairo are behind them, it does not imply a full convergence of regional strategies. Nonetheless, it represents a significant step toward rebuilding trust and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
