Military relations between Egypt and Turkey have witnessed a remarkable evolution as part of a fast-tracked effort to strengthen defense cooperation between the two nations, marked by intensive joint training, high-level visits, and agreements to expand their partnership.
Historic visit by Egyptian Defense Minister to Ankara
The latest step in this cooperative push came during an official visit by Egyptian Minister of Defense and Military Production, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, to the Turkish capital, Ankara. He held talks with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler on enhancing military cooperation in training, knowledge sharing, and defense industries, culminating in the signing of a letter of intent on defense cooperation to institutionalize their military ties. This marks the first visit by an Egyptian defense minister to Turkey since 2013, as well as the first overseas trip for Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher since taking office last February.
Boosting defense industry partnerships
The visit also included meetings with the head of the Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB), where they discussed opportunities for joint military manufacturing. A letter of intent was signed between the Turkish SSB and the Egyptian Military Intelligence Department to boost defense industry cooperation. Additionally, the Egyptian delegation toured several major Turkish defense companies to review their latest military technologies.
Commenting on this step, the President of the Turkish Defense Industry Agency, Haluk Görgün, stated that the letter of intent will define the framework for future bilateral cooperation. He emphasized that partnering in the defense sector will contribute to regional security and strengthen the mutual capabilities of both nations.
High-level joint military committees and drills
Last month, the Chiefs of Staff of both armed forces, Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa and General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, convened in Cairo for the fifth meeting of the Egyptian-Turkish Military Cooperation Committee. The two sides discussed mechanisms to expand military collaboration and signed the meeting’s minutes, which outlined joint activities in training, technology transfer, and exchange of expertise.
On the operational front, Egyptian and Turkish armed forces have executed a series of joint military maneuvers over the past few months. Most notably, they conducted the Golden Eagle joint training exercise, which involved Egyptian paratroopers and commandos alongside Turkish special forces, focusing on unifying operational concepts and exchanging tactical expertise.
The air forces of both countries also conducted a joint aerial exercise in Egypt, featuring joint sorties using multi-role fighter jets to enhance operational efficiency, command and control skills, and joint planning.
Furthermore, in June, the Egyptian Air Force participated in the Anatolian Eagle 2026 exercise hosted by Turkey, alongside Azerbaijan and a NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) aircraft. The drill simulated offensive and defensive operations, aerial refueling, drone interception, and close air support for ground forces.
Interoperability and strategic momentum
The Turkish Ministry of Defense confirmed that these joint exercises and mutual visits have significantly enhanced interoperability between the Egyptian and Turkish armed forces, boosted joint operational capabilities, and expanded cooperation in defense, security, and military industries.
Ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk stated during a media briefing on Thursday that military cooperation has gained tremendous momentum due to recent high-level mutual visits. He explained that this expanding cooperation aims to foster defense and security dialogue, noting that concrete steps have already been taken in military training, joint operations, and defense industries.
Billion-dollar frameworks, drones, and the KAAN fighter program
This military rapprochement is an extension of the bilateral progress initiated during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo last February, where President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President Erdogan signed a framework military agreement to develop defense cooperation.
The Turkish Defense Minister later revealed that defense deals worth 350 million dollars had been finalized with Egypt. These agreements include exporting the TOLGA close-in weapon system and establishing a joint factory in Egypt to produce 155mm artillery ammunition and light ammunition, in cooperation with the Turkish Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).
Reports also indicate ongoing discussions between the two sides regarding cooperation in drone manufacturing, alongside exploring opportunities for Egyptian participation in developing and producing Turkey’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the KAAN, highlighting the expanding horizons of the Cairo-Ankara defense partnership.
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