Leonardo and Turkish defence company Baykar Technologies unveiled their plan to create a joint venture (JV) focused on uncrewed technologies at the International Paris Airshow in Le Bourget, France.
This collaboration follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in Rome in March 2025.
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The new entity, named LBA Systems, will be co-owned by both companies with an equal stake of 50% each. The venture will be based in Italy, where it will handle its legal and operational functions.
The JV will integrate the industrial strengths of both parent companies to undertake the design, development, production, and maintenance of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Baykar will concentrate on the design and development of advanced unmanned platforms, leveraging its extensive portfolio across various UAS segments.
Leonardo will contribute by providing advanced electronic systems and payloads, implementing manned-unmanned teaming and swarming capabilities, and participating in qualification and certification processes.
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By GlobalDataBaykar Technologies chairman and CTO Selçuk Bayraktar said: “This partnership with Leonardo—a company with world-class expertise in C4I systems and complementary capabilities in aviation—is more than a collaboration; it’s a catalyst for what’s next.
“Together, we are building a new generation of unmanned systems that are not only intelligent and mission-ready but designed with ethics and interoperability at their core.”
Leonardo and Baykar’s partnership through LBA Systems is set to target opportunities within the European and global markets.
In addition, the companies have agreed to consider further cooperative endeavours that could range from commercial partnerships involving their respective platforms to joint efforts within multi-domain digital ecosystems.
Several Leonardo facilities will play key roles in this joint venture: Ronchi dei Legionari will contribute its expertise in uncrewed technologies; Turin will handle engineering and certification processes; Rome Tiburtina will focus on developing integrated multi-domain technologies; and Grottaglie will specialise in producing advanced composite materials.
Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said: “Today we sign a new strategic international alliance, establishing a key player in the field of uncrewed technologies.
“We firmly believe that technological cooperation is a powerful means to address the unprecedented challenges facing the defence sector.”
In March 2025, Leonardo launched a new programme in collaboration with Form1 to promote innovation and growth among small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK’s defence and security sector.
