LBA Systems

The LBA Systems joint venture (JV) operates in uncrewed technologies, which will assume an increasingly central role in the future of Defence. The company designs, develops, manufactures and supports unmanned aircraft systems.

The partnership, based in Villanova d'Albenga (Savona, Italy), involves Leonardo (50%) and Baykar Technologies (50%). The creation of the JV comes after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two companies in March 2025.

The governance of the LBA Systems places Haluk Bayraktar as Chairman and Giovanni Basile as Chief Executive Officer.

Leonardo

Providing cutting-edge electronic systems and payloads; implementing Manned-Unmanned Teaming and swarming capabilities; getting involved in qualification and certification activities.

Baykar Technologies

Design and development of advanced unmanned platforms.

Products

The JV’s product range – based on the harmonized expertise of both partners – already includes different systems, such as: Astore Levante, which is capable of taking off and landing on short-runway aircraft carrier vessels; AKINCI, a heavy-class HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) solution, designed for complex multi-domain missions; KIZILELMA, an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) designed for advanced air-to-ground and air-to-air missions.

The industrial activities involving the Astore Levante and KIZILELMA types are carried out at Leonardo’s production sites. Work on the TB2 and AKINCI will instead be performed at Baykar’s plant in Italy.