Turkey’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that it conducted joint naval drills off the coast of Libya, involving the Turkish frigate TCG BÜYÜKADA and the Libyan vessels Shafaq and Sidi Bilal. The exercises took place as part of Turkey’s naval task group operations in the region, according to a statement released by the ministry on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
The TCG BÜYÜKADA previously held a weapons training exercise near the Libyan coast in early July, accompanied by Turkey’s Underwater Offense Team and the Underwater Defense Group.
In addition to naval cooperation, Turkey and Libya continue to strengthen ties in various security areas. On October 2, Libya’s Ministry of Interior, under the Government of National Unity (GNU), signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey to advance cooperation in security training.
In August, Military Africa reported that Turkish forces stationed in Libya had upgraded the Al-Watiya Airbase with the modern HİSAR-O100 air defense system, replacing the older MIM-23 Hawk system. The report highlighted that the MIM-23 Hawk had served as the GNU’s primary medium-range air defense system, instrumental in downing numerous drones and helicopters during clashes with the Libyan National Army (LNA) in 2019 and 2020.
A March report by Bloomberg outlined Turkey’s expanding military influence in several regions, with Libya being a key area. Turkey’s support of the GNU, led by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, has bolstered Ankara’s foothold in the Eastern Mediterranean, further solidifying its geopolitical presence.
