Türkiye aims to build warships jointly with Egypt under its MILGEM programme, Turkish Navy Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu said during the Sea of Friendship-2026 naval exercise off Alexandria.

Speaking on the Distinguished Observer Day of the exercise on 9 November, Tatlıoğlu said Ankara wants to lift naval defence-industry ties with Cairo into joint shipbuilding. Anadolu Agency reported his remarks.

“By advancing our defence industry cooperation in the naval domain to a further stage, we aim to carry out joint shipbuilding activities with Egypt under the MILGEM Project, similar to the cooperation we have undertaken with Pakistan,” Tatlıoğlu said.

An aim, not yet a signed deal

No ship class, shipyard or contract for an Egyptian MILGEM purchase was announced. The warship goal remains an announced aim rather than a signed industrial deal, and further negotiation would be needed before any steel is cut.

Even so, the statement is significant. It shows how far the rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo has travelled since the two countries restored ambassadorial relations in 2023, and it follows a July letter of intent on defence-industry cooperation and joint capability development.

Sea of Friendship exercise off Alexandria

Egypt hosted the Sea of Friendship-2026 exercise from 4 to 9 November, the second round of joint naval drills since Cairo and Ankara resumed them after a 13-year hiatus in September 2025. The drills covered surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, air defence and underwater special-operations training.

Turkish units included the multipurpose amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, the frigate TCG Gaziantep, the fast attack craft TCG Meltem, two SH-70 helicopters, three AH-1W attack helicopters and three Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aircraft. Egypt fielded the amphibious assault ship Gamal Abdel Nasser, along with M. Fahmy, El Fateh, Fouad Zekry, El Farouk and Al-Arish.

Tatlıoğlu and Egyptian Navy Commander Vice Admiral Mahmoud Adel Fawzy jointly followed the observer day, underlining the political weight both navies placed on the event.

Why the partnership matters

For Türkiye, a joint build with Egypt would extend the MILGEM model it has already used with Pakistan, where corvettes were built in both countries with design rights and technology transfer. For Egypt, it would deepen a defence relationship that has already seen joint naval and air exercises this year.

The exercise took place against a still-complicated backdrop: political differences remain over Libya's maritime agreement, and Egypt has rejected a Turkish offer of a maritime boundary deal. The warship proposal suggests both sides are willing to press ahead on defence industry even where maritime politics remain unresolved.

Whether the MILGEM aim becomes a contract will be the test of how durable this new partnership proves to be.