Leonardo and Baykar officially announced the name of the joint venture as LBA Systems on its X account. LBA Systems is set to make its debut during Paris Airshow 2025 to take place on 16-22 June.

Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar and Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani emphasised that LBA Systems will combine both firms’ strengths.

The joint venture will combine Baykar’s field-proven UAVs like Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı as platforms and Leonardo’s various payloads (Radars, optics...).

This synergy is envisioned to answer the needs of European countries seeking different types of UAVs for their services. Currently, most of the UAV/UCAVs above tactical class in use with European countries are of American or Israeli origin.

Possible Integrations

Previously, Leonardo published a list of payloads that can be integrated into Baykar’s products in its 2025 Industrial Plan. These payloads include Gabbiano nose-mounted radar, Osprey family of AESA radars, Skyward IRST, LEOSS S/T EO/IR system, and BriteStorm compact EW system.

Osprey 30 AESA radar has been recently spotted onboard a Bayraktar TB2 UCAV operated by Poland, which serves as the first example of what can be expected.

Kızılelma for Italy as GCAP's Loyal Wingman?

The Industrial Plan 2025 also includes the Kızılelma unmanned fighter as a potential subject of cooperation for collaborative combat aircraft, something that is envisioned for the GCAP’s next-generation fighter being developed by the U.K., Italy, and Japan.

Before this, Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani also stated that Kızılelma or a derivative of it could become a loyal wingman for the GCAP programme’s next-generation fighter during the signing of the MoU for the joint venture.

Kızılelma’s design, being in parallel with a fifth-generation fighter in terms of low observability measures, sensor provisions, and agility, lays the base for an unmanned combat aircraft that can accompany fighters.

Author: Kaan Azman

Editor: Özgür Ekşi