LBA Systems is a defense and aerospace company established in 2025 with a 50%-50% partnership by the Turkish technology company Baykar and the Italian defense and aerospace company Leonardo. Headquartered in Italy, this joint venture focuses on activities such as the design, development, production, and maintenance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The company's name is formed from the initials of the two founding companies: Leonardo-Baykar Aerospace.

In the management structure, Baykar General Manager (CEO) Haluk Bayraktar will serve as Board Chairman of the company, while Leonardo's Head of Market and Competitive Intelligence Francesco Sabatini will take on the role of general manager. The joint venture's structure will be small-scale, operated by a team of less than 20 people.

Establishment and Background

Baykar and Leonardo announced their joint venture to the public at Paris Air Show 2025, following the memorandum of understanding they signed in Rome in March 2025. With the announcement made on June 16, 2025, “LBA Systems” was officially introduced. The company's purpose is to develop effective and innovative solutions globally in the field of unmanned systems by utilizing the industrial synergies of the two companies.

^{Press Release Held at Paris Air Show 2025 - Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani and Baykar Chairman of the Board and CTO Selçuk Bayraktar (Baykar Technology)}

Activity Areas

LBA Systems is structured to cover the entire lifecycle of unmanned aerial systems. The company's activities include:

• Design and engineering of advanced UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems
• Integration of electronic payloads and sensor systems
• Manned-unmanned platform teaming (MUM-T) solutions
• Swarm technologies and autonomous mission architectures
• Certification and qualification processes
• Exports and project partnerships for European and international markets

Division of Responsibilities

• Baykar is responsible for the design and development of advanced platforms, with its wide range of UAV products and operational experience.
• Leonardo is involved in providing advanced electronic systems and payloads, manned-unmanned platform teaming (MUM-T), swarm capabilities, as well as qualification and certification processes.

Strategic Objectives

Among LBA Systems' primary goals are to be a competitive actor within the European defense industry, contribute to multi-dimensional digital defense ecosystems, and produce AI-supported security technologies. The company's vision is to produce ethical, interoperable, and mission-ready unmanned systems. It has been stated that cooperation will primarily focus on the Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI platforms in joint efforts.

^{Bayraktar AKINCI with LBA Systems Logo (Baykar Technology)}

Production and R&D Centers

Leonardo facilities in Italy constitute LBA Systems' technological infrastructure:

• Ronchi dei Legionari: Center of excellence for unmanned systems
• Turin: Engineering and certification activities
• Rome Tiburtina: Integrated multi-dimensional technologies
• Grottaglie: Advanced composite material production