Ankara/Anadolu

Turkey's Baykar and Italy's Leonardo are participating in the Farnborough International Airshow, which kicks off Monday in the UK

The two companies will hold a briefing focusing on experiments of 'teamwork between manned and unmanned platforms'

The two companies will present the results achieved during tests, and the steps and activities planned for the next phase

This partnership is considered one of the important initiatives in Europe aimed at rapidly developing its capabilities in unmanned aerial systems

Turkey's Baykar and Italy's Leonardo, global leaders in the defense and aviation sectors, are preparing to reveal to the global public the stage reached in their joint work on operating manned and unmanned combat aircraft in joint missions.

The two companies will take an important step on Monday as part of the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, one of the most prestigious aviation and defense exhibitions in the world.

Within the framework of the airshow held near London, the two companies will hold on Monday a briefing focusing on experiments of 'teamwork between manned and unmanned platforms' conducted by both parties in Turkey using the M-346 and Bayraktar Kızılelma aircraft.

Baykar, a leader in UAV production, and Leonardo will also present the critical results achieved during the tests, and the steps and activities planned for the next phase as they move to a new level of experimentation.

The airshow, which runs until Friday, will feature the Bayraktar TB3 UAV, which stands out for its ability to take off and land from platforms with short runways, and is considered one of the symbolic platforms in the path to entering the European market via LBA Systems (the joint venture between Baykar and Leonardo).

The display of the Bayraktar TB3 at the airshow reflects that the cooperation between the two companies in unmanned aerial systems is not limited to studies and experiments, but is also based on practical platforms close to the production stage.

The two companies' choice of one of the world's most important airshows to announce these activities carries a strategic message to the global defense industry and to NATO member countries.

This partnership is seen as one of the important initiatives in Europe aimed at rapidly developing its capabilities in unmanned aerial systems and manned-unmanned teaming.

Photo: Leonardo/AA

Through the upcoming announcement at Farnborough, the two companies will have the opportunity to showcase the concrete progress they have made directly to industry representatives and potential customers.

- Uniting capabilities for more advanced platforms

The partnership between Baykar and Leonardo began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the Italian capital Rome in March 2025, before the joint venture agreement was officially signed at the Paris Air Show in June 2025.

The LBA Systems joint venture aims to design, develop, produce, and support unmanned aerial systems, and operates from Italy on the basis of an equal partnership between the two parties.

This partnership seeks to play a leading role in developments that will shape the future of unmanned aircraft.

While Baykar focuses on designing and developing advanced unmanned platforms, Leonardo provides the latest electronic systems and payloads, and works on developing manned-unmanned teaming and swarm capabilities, and also participates in qualification, certification, and technical airworthiness activities.