Turkish drone giant Baykar has signed a landmark preliminary agreement with Italian defense heavyweight Leonardo, marking a new chapter in Türkiye’s growing strategic ties with Italy and its expanding influence in the global defense sector.
The agreement — which focuses on cooperation in the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and high technology — was among a series of pacts signed during the Fourth Türkiye-Italy Intergovernmental Summit, co-chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Tuesday.
Following Türkiye-Italy Intergovernmental Summit, the two nations strengthen ties through pacts on trade, space, culture, defence, and several other areas.
The Baykar-Leonardo deal stands out as a cornerstone of this summit, signaling a major step in bilateral defense collaboration between the two NATO allies. While still at the preliminary stage, the protocol suggests both countries are preparing to deepen joint technological development, potentially creating new capabilities in the rapidly evolving drone and aerospace sectors.
Baykar, best known for producing the combat-proven Bayraktar TB2 and the more advanced Akinci drones, has emerged as a leading player in global UAV exports. The company has sold its systems to over 30 countries and has gained international attention for the drones’ effectiveness in conflicts such as those in Ukraine, Libya, and Karabakh.
As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in Rome, over 500 Italian and Turkish business leaders are gathering for a trade forum aimed at deepening commercial ties between the two Mediterranean states.
Baykar’s European expansion continues after Italian airline move
The agreement with Leonardo comes just months after Baykar’s high-profile acquisition of Italian airline company Piaggio Aerospace — a move that raised eyebrows in European defence circles.
The purchase, which reportedly included valuable manufacturing infrastructure and aviation expertise, was widely interpreted as part of Baykar’s broader push to establish a European footprint and secure access to the EU’s defence market.
With the latest agreement, Baykar is not only expanding its collaboration with a major European defence firm but also positioning itself at the center of growing industrial and technological ties between Ankara and Rome.
President Erdogan urges Italian companies to see Türkiye as 'opening door' to Asia, Middle East, Africa, just like Turkish firms see Italy as 'opening door' to Europe.
In addition to the Baykar-Leonardo pact, Türkiye and Italy signed a host of other memorandums of understanding, spanning trade, industrial investment, space cooperation, cultural and sports exchanges, social services, and transportation.
However, the defence-related agreements are likely to attract the most strategic attention in light of current geopolitical uncertainties and the increasing global demand for drone technologies.
