# Turkey and Egypt Explore Joint Naval Shipbuilding

During the Sea of Friendship 2026 exercise in Egypt, held November 4–9, Turkish Navy commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu said Turkey and Egypt aim to pursue joint naval shipbuilding, citing Turkey’s MILGEM cooperation with Pakistan as a model. The discussion signals potential bilateral defense-industry activity, but no solicitation, contract value, or award timeline has been announced.

- Naval design and construction firms, maritime unmanned-systems providers, and related defense contractors may find future opportunities if the countries formalize cooperation.
- Because the proposal is exploratory rather than an active procurement, companies should treat it as early market intelligence, not a current bid opportunity.
- The MILGEM reference provides a stated model for cooperation; firms evaluating the prospect should consider capabilities relevant to collaborative shipbuilding and maritime defense.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** November 13, 2026

### Government Entities
- Turkish Navy
- Egyptian Navy

### Key Quotes
> We aim to take our defense industry cooperation in the maritime domain to a more advanced level by undertaking joint shipbuilding activities with Egypt, similar to the cooperation we have established with Pakistan under the MILGEM Project.
> — Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Navy

> In the near future, the Egyptian and Turkish navies may be able to operate side by side, shoulder to shoulder, on joint missions.
> — Vice Adm. Mahmoud Adel Fawzy, Commander of the Egyptian Navy

### Sources
- [Turkey and Egypt weigh joint naval shipbuilding projects - Defense News](https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2026/11/13/turkey-and-egypt-weigh-joint-naval-shipbuilding-projects) - Defense News