Egypt, Turkey conclude joint naval exercise Sea Friendship 2025
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Egypt and Turkey wrapped up their joint naval drill Sea Friendship 2025 in Turkish waters, boosting cooperation, maritime security, and combat readiness.
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A Turkish Navy soldier participates during the NATO Dynamic Mariner/Flotex-25 naval exercise in Barbate, southern Spain, Friday, March 28, 2025 (AP)
Egypt and Turkey wrapped up their joint naval exercise Sea Friendship 2025 on Tuesday, following several days of maneuvers held within Turkish territorial waters.
The exercise aimed to strengthen military cooperation and enhance interoperability between the Egyptian Armed Forces and their Turkish counterparts, as well as with other friendly and allied states.
The drills featured a series of workshops designed to unify operational concepts among participating forces. Special forces units from both countries carried out live-fire exercises with various weapons, showcasing advanced combat training methods and precision in targeting.
Naval units also executed several exercises at sea, including helicopter exchanges on warship decks, inspection operations on suspicious vessels, at-sea replenishment maneuvers, and coordinated fleet formations carried out with high speed and accuracy.
Enhancing joint maritime capabilities
Military officials said the joint drill sought to maximize the use of bilateral capabilities and exchange expertise on securing maritime operations against diverse threats.
The closing phase of the exercise was attended by senior commanders from both the Egyptian and Turkish navies, underscoring the growing defense cooperation between the two countries.
This marks the latest bid by Ankara to build closer military ties with regional Arab states.
On August 14, Turkey agreed to provide the Syrian Army with advanced weapons systems and logistical equipment under a newly signed military cooperation agreement, signaling deepening military cooperation between Turkey and Syria.
A source in the Turkish Ministry of Defense said that the agreement, signed on Wednesday, also allows for Ankara to train Syrian forces in operating the equipment if necessary.
According to Reuters, the source noted that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have failed to meet any conditions of the March agreement with the new regime on integrating the group into Syrian state institutions. An agreement Ankara expects the SDF to honor without delay.
Part of a comprehensive Turkey–Syria defense agreement
This development is the latest in a series of moves under a broader Turkey–Syria defense agreement signed in August 2025. The pact covers military training in counterterrorism, mine clearance, cyber defense, logistics, military engineering, and peacekeeping operations. Discussions have also included establishing Turkish airbases in Syria’s central desert and deploying F-16 fighter jets.
Turkey maintains more than 20,000 troops in Syria and has no immediate plans for withdrawal. The partnership extends beyond the military as bilateral trade surged after the end of the war, with Turkish exports to Syria rising 38% in January 2025 alone. Machinery, construction materials, and metals, essential for Syria's reconstruction, saw particularly high growth.
Energy cooperation is also advancing, including a new gas pipeline to Aleppo, integration of electricity grids, and Turkish investments in Syria’s mining and phosphate sectors.
