LBA Systems

LBA Systems is a defense and aerospace company established in 2025 as a 50-50 joint venture between Turkish technology firm Baykar and 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 derived from the initials of its two founding companies: Leonardo-Baykar Aerospace.

In the management structure Baykar’s Chief Executive Officer Haluk Bayraktar will serve as chairman of the board of directors while Leonardo’s Head of Market and Competitive Intelligence Francesco Sabatini will assume the role of chief executive officer. It has been announced that the joint venture will be operated by a small team of fewer than 20 personnel.

Establishment and Background

Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Rome in March 2025 Baykar and Leonardo publicly announced their joint venture at the Paris Air Show 2025. On 16 June 2025 the company was officially introduced under the name “LBA Systems”. The purpose of the company is to leverage the industrial synergies of both firms to develop effective and innovative solutions in the field of unmanned systems on a global scale.

Press Briefing at Paris Air Show 2025 – Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani with Baykar Board Chairman and Technology Leader Selçuk Bayraktar (Baykar Technology)

Areas of Activity

LBA Systems is structured to cover the entire lifecycle of unmanned aerial systems. Its activities include:

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

Responsibility Allocation

• Baykar is responsible for the design and development of advanced platforms leveraging its extensive UAV product portfolio and operational experience.
• Leonardo provides advanced electronic systems and payloads supports manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and swarm capabilities and leads certification and qualification processes.

Strategic Objectives

LBA Systems’ primary objectives include becoming a competitive player within the European defense industry contributing to multidimensional digital defense ecosystems and developing artificial intelligence-enabled security technologies. The company’s vision is to produce ethically grounded interoperable and mission-ready unmanned systems. Collaborative efforts will initially focus on the Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI platforms.

Bayraktar AKINCI with LBA Systems logo (Baykar Technology)

Production and R&D Centers

Leonardo’s facilities in Italy form the technological backbone of LBA Systems:

• Ronchi dei Legionari: Center of Excellence for unmanned systems
• Torino: Engineering and certification activities
• Roma Tiburtina: Integrated multidimensional technologies
• Grottaglie: Advanced composite materials production