TCG Anadolu and Egypt’s Mistral-class ships are the flagship amphibious platforms of the Turkish and Egyptian navies. Rather than rivals, they are now exercise partners: in Friendship Sea-2026, held off Alexandria from 4 to 9 November 2026, TCG Anadolu sailed with Egypt’s ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser, and a Bayraktar TB3 drone took off from Anadolu’s deck during the observer day.
Egypt’s Mistrals: from a cancelled Russian order to Cairo
Egypt signed a contract with DCNS (now Naval Group) on 10 October 2015 for two Mistral-class landing helicopter docks. The ships had originally been built for Russia, but that sale was cancelled after the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Reuters described the Egyptian deal as worth about $1 billion.
- ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser: delivered on 2 June 2016 at Saint-Nazaire, according to DCNS.
- ENS Anwar El Sadat: delivered on 16 September 2016 (Reuters).
- Size and role: 199 m long, speed above 18 knots, able to carry troops, equipment, heavy helicopters and landing craft, with an onboard hospital and command capability (DCNS).
- Crew training: 180 Egyptian sailors trained at Saint-Nazaire on the first ship (DCNS).
In June 2017 Russia said it had won Egypt’s tender to supply Ka-52K naval attack helicopters for the Mistrals, and talks on further outfitting continued in 2018–2019, as Army Recognition reported. Deliveries of the Ka-52K for the ships have not been confirmed in the sources reviewed here. For Egypt’s land-based Ka-52 fleet, see our Egypt Ka-52 fleet guide.
TCG Anadolu: a big deck that flies drones
TCG Anadolu (L-400) is Türkiye’s amphibious assault ship. In Friendship Sea-2026 it operated three Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicles, and one TB3 launched from the ship during the observer day, according to Türkiye Today and DefenseandTech. That is the clearest difference in concept visible in the exercise: Anadolu fielded fixed-wing UCAVs on deck, while Egypt’s Mistrals are helicopter carriers.
Side by side in Friendship Sea-2026
| Türkiye | Egypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship | TCG Anadolu | ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser |
| Other ships | TCG Gaziantep, TCG Meltem | M. Fahmy, El Fateh, Fouad Zekry, El Farouk, Al-Arish |
| Aircraft | Two SH-70, three AH-1W, three Bayraktar TB3 | Not itemised in the sources |
Turkish Navy commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu described the Turkish and Egyptian navies as “the two key actors” for security in the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye Today reported. He also said Türkiye aims for MILGEM-style joint warship building with Egypt, covered in our report on Türkiye–Egypt joint MILGEM warships.
What it means for the Eastern Mediterranean
The November 2026 exercise showed that the two navies’ largest ships can work side by side. Big-deck ships give both countries the ability to move troops, helicopters and, in Türkiye’s case, drones across the Mediterranean, and to support evacuation or relief missions with command and medical facilities on board. This is an editorial assessment based on the ships’ stated capabilities.
What is not known
- No plan for a joint amphibious task group beyond exercises has been announced.
- The air wing Egypt flew from Gamal Abdel Nasser during the exercise was not itemised in the reports reviewed.
- Whether Egypt’s Mistrals ever received Ka-52K helicopters is not confirmed in these sources.
FAQ
How many Mistral ships does Egypt have?
Two: ENS Gamal Abdel Nasser and ENS Anwar El Sadat, both delivered in 2016.
Did TCG Anadolu and an Egyptian Mistral exercise together?
Yes. Both took part in Friendship Sea-2026 off Alexandria on 4–9 November 2026.
What flew from TCG Anadolu in the exercise?
Reports list two SH-70 and three AH-1W helicopters and three Bayraktar TB3 drones; a TB3 took off from the ship during the observer day.
Sources
- DCNS (archived) — first Mistral delivered to Egypt, 2 Jun 2016
- Reuters — Egypt takes delivery of second Mistral, Sep 2016
- Army Recognition — Ka-52 talks for Egypt’s Mistrals, 2019
- Türkiye Today — navy chief on MILGEM-style shipbuilding with Egypt, 9 Nov 2026
- DefenseandTech — Friendship Sea-2026 and joint warship plans, 9 Nov 2026
Featured image: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Illustrative photo.