Italian aerospace group Leonardo has unveiled plans to co-produce Baykar’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Italy under a new joint venture, LBA Systems, marking a major step in Europe’s drone manufacturing landscape. The collaboration will see final assembly lines established for Baykar’s TB2, TB3, Akinci, and the jet-powered Kizilelma platforms, merging European engineering standards with Baykar’s proven drone technology.
The initiative, revealed during Leonardo’s 3Q/9M 2025 financial presentation, transforms Italy from a mere operator and maintainer into a full-fledged co-producer of advanced UAVs. It also introduces an EU-based supply chain at a critical time of growing regulatory scrutiny and rising demand for certified unmanned systems. The partnership aims to integrate European sensors, communication suites, and weapon payloads, ensuring that drones assembled in Italy meet export-compliant and NATO-compatible standards.
Under LBA Systems, Leonardo and Baykar will jointly manage platform production, certification, and mission-system integration. Teams are already coordinating on multi-domain applications, spanning surveillance, precision strike, and future loyal-wingman roles. The plan is structured around five main workstreams — serial production, composite aerostructures, certification, command-and-control systems, and long-term sustainment.
By embedding Baykar’s UAV platforms into Europe’s defense ecosystem, Leonardo positions Italy as a key hub for next-generation unmanned systems. The collaboration could significantly boost European drone autonomy while opening new export pathways for NATO-aligned nations seeking proven yet compliant UAV solutions.
