The Turkey-Egypt Friendship Sea Naval Exercise Special Drill is a joint naval exercise conducted between Turkey and Egypt after a 13-year interval. The exercise took place from 22 to 26 September 2025 in the Eastern Mediterranean, centered at the Aksaz Naval Base. Its Arabic name, Bahr El Sadaka, translates to “Friendship Sea” in Turkish. The official full name is “Turkey-Egypt Friendship Sea Naval Exercise Special Drill.” The objective of the exercise was to enhance bilateral relations and improve mutual operational interoperability between the two nations.
General Information
The Turkey-Egypt Friendship Sea Naval Exercise Special Drill was conducted from 22 to 26 September 2025 in the Eastern Mediterranean. Its Arabic name is “Bahr El Sadaka,” and its Turkish equivalent is “Friendship Sea.” The official full name is “Turkey-Egypt Friendship Sea Naval Exercise Special Drill.” The exercise was carried out at the Aksaz Naval Base in the Marmaris district of Muğla Province. The primary objective was to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance mutual operational interoperability.
Naval, air, and special forces elements participated jointly in the exercise. The program included harbor, at-sea, and practical phases, with a Special Observer Day held on 25 September 2025.
Historical Background
The Turkey-Egypt Friendship Sea Naval Exercise Special Drill marked the first joint naval exercise between the two countries since a 13-year hiatus. Military cooperation activities were suspended from 2012 onward due to political and diplomatic tensions, during which neither side conducted any joint military drills.
By 2025, the normalization of diplomatic relations paved the way for renewed military cooperation. In this context, the exercise was regarded as one of the key initiatives in the resumption of military engagement between Turkey and Egypt.
Participating Forces
Both Turkey and Egypt contributed naval and air force elements to the exercise.
Turkish Participating Forces
- Command of the Turkish Navy deployed: TCG Oruçreis and TCG Gediz frigates, TCG İmbat and TCG Bora fast attack craft, TCG Gür submarine, one unmanned surface vehicle, one maritime patrol aircraft, four helicopters, two unmanned aerial vehicles, and one SAT (Submarine Assault) team.
- Command of the Turkish Air Force contributed two F-16 fighter aircraft.
Egyptian Participating Forces
- Command of the Egyptian Navy deployed: one frigate, one fast attack craft, and one SAT team.
This participation resulted in a multi-domain exercise encompassing submarine, surface, and air elements. Classical naval warfare assets as well as modern technologies were employed during the execution of the drill.
Exercise Phases
The exercise consisted of three main phases.
Harbor Phase
In this phase, theoretical and practical training was conducted on land and in port facilities. Specialized training was provided for SAT teams, and sessions on cyber defense were held. Presentations were delivered on the military application of artificial intelligence in naval operations. Technical studies were also carried out on the joint use of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles.
At-Sea Phase
During this phase, live at-sea training exercises were conducted. Training topics included defense against asymmetric threats, navigation and ship handling maneuvers, surface warfare, air defense warfare, and anti-submarine warfare. Additionally, SAT teams conducted operational drills in the maritime environment.
Applied Scenarios
Following the harbor and at-sea phases, scenario-based operational exercises were carried out. In preparation for the Special Observer Day, joint maneuver and warfighting scenarios were tested at the operational level.
Special Observer Day (25 September 2025)
The Special Observer Day of the exercise was held on 25 September 2025 at the Aksaz Naval Base. The ceremony was attended by Turkish Navy Commander Admiral Kadir Yıldız and Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Navy Major General Mohamed Hassan El-Sherbeny.
As part of the scenario, Turkish military personnel were lowered from a helicopter onto the Egyptian frigate ENS Tahya via rope. In the same scenario, Egyptian military personnel conducted a maritime extraction operation. Following the operation, personnel from both nations jointly raised the flags of Turkey and Egypt on the deck of the ENS Tahya.
Additionally, a material transfer training exercise was conducted between ships. During the training, supplies were transferred between two vessels traveling at constant speed using the mail bag method. The training was successfully completed.
At the conclusion of the day, participating naval and air forces held a salute and passage ceremony, marking the formal completion of the Special Observer Day.
