At the Farnborough International Airshow, Leonardo and Baykar announced the full operational readiness of their LBA Systems Joint Venture (JV), with the regulatory authorizations now in place and the new company’s Lead appointed, thus completing the establishment of a new player in uncrewed technologies. Leonardo and Baykar are equal shareholders (50% each) in the JV, which has its legal and operational headquarters in Italy. 

The JV leverages complementary strengths in the design, development, production, and maintenance of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). LBA Systems combines Leonardo’s cutting edge electronics systems, integration of payload and effectors and strong capabilities in EU approval and certification with Baykar’s design and development of advanced UAS platforms, extensive portfolio covering all relevant UAS segments and advanced and efficient manufacturing processes and capabilities. The set-up of a dedicated Unmanned Business Unit within the Leonardo’s Aeronautics Division will allow an efficient coordination and execution of the business and industrial actions. 
Lorenzo Mariani, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo, said: “LBA Systems enters the rapidly growing uncrewed system sector with a complete and competitive offer. It leverages a comprehensive range of Leonardo proprietary payloads which can be integrated into several different Baykar platforms, in order to meet the demanding mission requirements dictated by today’s operational challenges. The start of operations at LBA Systems also epitomizes drivers which are core to our strategy: execution and production acceleration, stronger and larger industrial base, partnerships to deliver the critical mass required to respond to the European and global markets evolving demand, growth and value creation.”   

Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar said “LBA Systems is a significant initiative that combines Baykar's field-proven, high-tech autonomous architecture and manufacturing power with Leonardo's advanced payload and avionics capabilities. The success of KIZILELMA's recent CUC-T tests with the M-346 has demonstrated the global maturity our autonomy has achieved per NATO standards, and has been a direct response to the demanding operational requirements of the battlefield. With LBA Systems, we will offer the global market ready and reliable solutions — from Astore Levante to KIZILELMA — beyond concepts on paper. This partnership is a strategic step that will strengthen the defense industrial base of both Europe and allied nations.”

LBA Systems will act to co-develop next generation uncrewed systems, empowered by advanced AI, cyber resilience and multi-domain interoperability, and pursue opportunities in both the European and international market. The JV’s product range, based on the harmonized expertise of both partners, already includes six different systems, spanning from the 80kg class KALKAN designed primarily for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) missions, up to the TB2 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) in two different variants and the Astore Levane, which is capable of taking off and landing on short-runway aircraft carrier vessels, to the AKINCI High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) platform and the KIZILELMA Unmanned Combat Fighter Jet. The KIZILELMA uncrewed fighter aircraft successfully demonstrated advanced crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities in recent tests with the Leonardo M-346 F light fighter. At the Farnborough International Airshow, the partners are also showcasing the first LBA Systems product, the Astore Levante, which integrates the proven Bayraktar TB3 platform with an extensive range of Leonardo’s integrated advanced technologies in including sensors, mission systems and ground control station.

The industrial activities involving the Astore Levante and KIZILELMA types will be carried out at Leonardo’s production sites, with the manufacturing of a first batch of Astore Levante UAS already ongoing with delivery expected to the end-user in Italy later this year. Work on the TB2 and AKINCI will be performed at the Baykar’s plant in Italy.