LBA Systems (Leonardo Baykar Aerospace Systems)is a fresh company on the industrial map of Europe, which can importantly change the marketplace for unmanned aircraft. It is simply a joint venture of the Italian concern Leonardo and Turkish company Baykar, based on the extended experience and synergy of both partners. The aim is to make fresh opportunities to supply modern unmanned systems to European countries and another allied countries. According to Leonardo, the establishment of Italian-Turkish cooperation took place in evidence time, and its effects may be crucial for the European arms sector, possibly besides in Poland.
– Leonardo and Baykar rapidly agreed, noticing that there are strong synergies and good opportunities for further fast improvement in the domain of unmanned systems. So it was a process of building partnerships and joint ventures in evidence time – says Newseria Francesco Sabatini, CEO of LBA Systems. – We have combined our cognition and unique abilities in circumstantial areas. Leonardo has them in the field of electronics, avionics and various types of sensors, as well as the ability to integrate these resources on air platforms. We besides have extended experience in certification and the ability to prepare unmanned platforms to cooperate with manned aircraft. Baykar has a long and proven experience in designing and manufacturing unmanned systems, so we rapidly decided to combine our possible and open a fresh common chapter.
Manned-unmanned teaming is simply a long-established concept of manned and unmanned platforms, e.g. helicopters with drones, which is an essential capability of modern armed forces. The focus of the company is to combine various resources in a network-centric environment while maintaining cyberattack resilience in multi-domain operations.
Leonardo and Baykar announced the creation of a joint venture on 16 June at the Paris Air Show 2025, or 55th global Aviation Salon in Le Bourget, Paris. This was the culmination of the agreement that companies concluded in Rome in early March this year. Shares divided in half and LBA seat Systems is located in Italy.
"This cooperation is very crucial for all Europe, and so besides for Poland. There is simply a large gap to fill in on unmanned systems and their fresh capabilities. That is why we are ready to work together and act together with another governments and institutions, and even with companies from another European countries. All to make the best solutions for unmanned systems for end-users – said Francesco Sabatini during the Italian-Polish Aerospace Forum held in Warsaw.
In May 2025, the General Staff of the Polish Army reported on the Armed Forces improvement Programme for the years 2025–2039, which is intended to place a peculiar emphasis on droneization and robotics as key areas of modernization of the military and support for the safety of soldiers. The Polish Armed Forces already have unmanned Bayraktar TB2 reconnaissance and impact systems from Baykar.
LBA Systems estimates that the European marketplace for reconnaissance and impact drones will scope $100 billion in the next 10 years.
– LBA Systems will focus on updating and developing fresh versions of existing platforms that Baykar has already launched. These platforms can be equipped with fresh avionics, apparatus, sensors, meaning fundamentally completely fresh end platforms with fresh solutions for the market. We are presently in the final phase of the joint venture process and we will immediately engage in providing our customers with the best possible solution – announced the CEO of LBA Systems.
According to Leonardo's plans, which the company shared during the presentation of the results for 3 quarters of 2025, the Grottaglie plant in the south of Italy will produce composites, as well as mounted Kizilma drones. In Ronchi dei Legionari in the north of the country, Mirach drones and TB3 drones will be produced and assembled. At Villanova d’Albenga, Akinci and TB2 drones will be assembled. Turin will stay the centre of engineering and certification activities, and Rome will stay the centre of the improvement of integrated multi-domain technologies and innovation.
– LBA Systems will be the programme coordinator and production will be based on both partners' own industrial resources: Leonardo and Baykara. The fresh company will usage a number of centres located throughout Italy, both north and south – stresses Francesco Sabatini. – This cooperation is very crucial due to the fact that it introduces fresh solutions and innovations into the country where these products are created.
LBA Systems will initially focus on MALE (medium-altitude long-endurance) systems, i.e. the average ceiling and long operating time, but the offer will besides include unmanned systems at tactical level. The interest in drones, including those that can be launched from manned platforms, specified as helicopters, opens an even broader position for LBA Systems.
