Italy’s Leonardo and Turkey’s Baykar have announced a joint venture to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), targeting the $100 billion European drone market over the next decade. The JV will be based in Italy, utilizing both companies’ existing facilities, with discussions already underway with their national military forces. The first drone, expected in 18 months, will be based on Baykar’s high-altitude, heavy-lift Akinci and customized for customer needs. Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani confirmed the venture will not compete with Europe’s MALE drone program, developed with Airbus and Dassault Aviation. The deal underscores Europe’s expanding UAV market and deepening defense cooperation between Italy and Turkey.
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