Türkiye-Italy UAV partnership nears 1st production milestone

Production of the first mid-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed through a partnership between Türkiye's Baykar and Italy's Leonardo is expected to be completed by April, an official said Wednesday.

Speaking at an investor and press briefing presenting Leonardo's 2025 financial results, Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said the company has gained extraordinary momentum in the UAV segment, highlighting its close collaboration with Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar.

He noted that the two companies are working on a daily basis to integrate new technologies and that further details will be outlined in an updated strategic plan scheduled for release in the coming weeks.

Emphasizing the rapid pace of progress, Cingolani said significant advances had been achieved in just eight months.

He announced that assembly and production of the first medium-class UAVs would be finalized by April at Leonardo's facility in Ronchi dei Legionari in northern Italy.

He added that the program covers a broad range of platforms, including both fixed-wing and rotary-wing systems.

Before moving to mass production and sales, which are expected to reach hundreds of units, the aircraft will undergo an approximately one-year testing and demonstration phase.

During the coming months, the drones are set to showcase capabilities such as landings under specialized conditions and coordinated swarm operations.

Cingolani also said that progress in the UAV initiative is expected to have a notable impact on Leonardo's electronics division following developments linked to the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a multinational defense project.

He added that investments are continuing as planned and that the UAV program is currently running slightly ahead of schedule.