Defense manufacturers Leonardo and Baykar have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly produce unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
Under the agreement, the Italian and Turkish companies will establish a joint venture for the design, development, production, and maintenance of UAS to meet Europe’s demand surge, projected to reach $100 billion over the next decade.
Baykar, known for producing the Bayraktar TB2 combat drone, will contribute its expertise in unmanned platforms. Meanwhile, the joint venture will leverage Leonardo’s years of experience in mission systems, payloads, and European aerospace certification.
The partnership will be headquartered in Italy and utilize various facilities owned by Leonardo, which Rome’s defense minister Guido Crosetto praised as “an important opportunity to enhance our country’s operational and technological capabilities, contributing to global security and technological progress.”
“In un mondo che sta cambiando molto velocemente, il rapporto tra #Italia e #Turchia è destinato a divenire sempre più centrale. State anticipando, dal punto di vista industriale, il futuro scenario geopolitico. Anche per questo, esprimo grande soddisfazione per la firma… pic.twitter.com/lH1QTzhdhx
— Ministero Difesa (@MinisteroDifesa) March 6, 2025
Furthermore, the joint venture will see Baykar’s combination of “ethical AI-driven technologies together with Leonardo’s immense capability in the AI technologies to develop next-generation solutions that will define the future of unmanned aerial systems,” said Baykar Chairman and CTO, Selçuk Bayraktar.
“Together, this synergy will bring ultimate AI-driven air supremacy for the future,” he added.
Leonardo CEO and General Manager Roberto Cingolani acknowledged the emerging technologies and challenges in future warfare, such as drones, AI, and space, on which the joint venture will also capitalize.
“In this context, we are convinced that technological cooperation is both necessary and urgent to accelerate progress and ensure global security,” Cingolani shared.
This latest partnership follows after the Italian government gave the green light for Baykar to acquire the Italian firm, Piaggio Aerospace, in December 2024.
Previously, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan announced in a news conference that a new European security architecture is “not possible without Turkey.”
