Egypt and Türkiye have stepped up military cooperation in recent months through a series of joint exercises, the launch of a high-level military dialogue in Cairo, and the signing of a “framework military agreement” four months ago, against the backdrop of escalating regional tensions.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense announced Thursday that the Turkish, Egyptian and Azerbaijani air forces are conducting their first trilateral air exercise in Turkish airspace. The announcement came days after the conclusion of a separate Egyptian-Turkish air drill. The Turkish Armed Forces also said that Chief of the General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Thursday.
Military officers and analysts told Asharq Al-Awsat that the expanding defense partnership is primarily intended as a deterrent amid regional instability. They said it is part of the broader Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement and reflects growing coordination on key regional issues.
Relations between Cairo and Ankara have steadily improved after years of estrangement. The two countries reinforced ties by establishing a Strategic Cooperation Council, which held its second meeting in Cairo in February during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Egypt. The meeting produced several cooperation agreements, including a framework military accord.
Alongside closer political coordination, defense ties have expanded through a series of joint exercises. According to Türkiye’s Defense Ministry, the trilateral drill will run through July 3 and is designed to enhance operational capabilities while testing new technical and tactical procedures for air operations.
The exercise follows a bilateral Egyptian-Turkish air drill held at Egyptian air bases from June 11 to 21, involving multirole fighter aircraft of various types.
Military cooperation has also expanded beyond air operations. Egypt and Türkiye conducted the Sea of Friendship naval exercise in the Mediterranean in September 2025, while Turkish and Egyptian special forces held joint training in Ankara from April 21 to 29, 2025.
Maj. Gen. Nasr Salem, former head of the Egyptian Armed Forces Reconnaissance Department, and advisor at the Nasser Military Academy for Postgraduate Studies, said joint exercises serve several strategic objectives, including exchanging expertise and enhancing combat readiness.
Salem told Asharq Al-Awsat that the intensified Egyptian-Turkish drills also send a deterrent message in light of regional turmoil by demonstrating the capabilities and preparedness of both militaries to confront threats to their national security and strategic interests. “The principle of military deterrence,” he stated, “is that if you want to prevent war, you must prepare for it.”
In parallel with the exercises, Egypt and Türkiye held a high-level military dialogue attended by Egyptian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ahmed Fathi Khalifa, Bayraktaroglu, and senior military officials from both countries, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said.
Political analyst Taha Oghlu, who specializes in Turkish affairs and international relations, described Egyptian-Turkish ties as undergoing “an unprecedented rapprochement.” He said cooperation now extends beyond diplomacy to encompass deepening military and defense ties, reflected in joint exercises and the launch of the military dialogue.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Oghlu said the defense partnership is driven by shared interests and growing coordination on Libya, Syria, Gaza, and the Iran war. He added that instability across the Middle East — particularly the war in Gaza and the crisis in southern Lebanon — has accelerated the rapprochement.
The two countries have also intensified diplomatic contacts. Most recently, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Cairo last week for talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on bilateral ties. He also joined a meeting of the regional quartet comprising the foreign ministers of Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to discuss regional developments.
Oghlu said Azerbaijan’s participation in the latest exercise sends a clear signal that Egyptian-Turkish defense cooperation is acquiring broader strategic and geographic dimensions that extend beyond the Eastern Mediterranean and could help reshape the region’s security outlook.
