Recently, the industrial synergies between Italy and Türkiye have been consolidated with the acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace by the Baykar group, a global leader in the production of unmanned drones. While the preliminary contract for the transfer of the business complex of Piaggio Aerospace to Baykar was formalized last January, the news of a new industrial transaction has jumped all over the media. Leonardo, the historic Italian leader company in defense, aerospace and security, has expressed interest in enhancing collaboration and effective synergy with the Turkish group Baykar.
During a mission to Istanbul Baykar facilities, Leonardo's CEO Roberto Cingolani has indeed raised the possibility of "important industrial synergies" between the Italian and Turkish groups in the field of unmanned technologies. Stressing that negotiations and contacts with Baykar had begun some time ago, even before the agreement with Piaggio Aerospace, Cingolani showed a positive attitude about future convergence both regarding unmanned drones and latest-generation technologies.
"Integrating Leonardo's experience in drones with Baykar's world-class unmanned platforms can really give a significant boost," he stated by inferring that the Turkish company would be an important partner, not only for its global projection but above all, for its technological contribution and complementarity with the Italian products.
Leonardo is also widely active in the production of drones, as it boasts over 50 variants of Falco drones. It is also a partner of the Eurodrone program in partnership with Spain, France and Germany. In this sense, Leonardo has already distinguished itself as a valid player in system integration, capable of integrating cutting-edge technologies into industrially advanced systems. From this perspective, there would eventually be perfect complementarity with Baykar by combining excellent Turkish production with Leonardo's already efficient electronic and radar departments.
According to experts, Leonardo specializes in airborne electronics and sensors like the Gabbiano electronically scanned radar, which will be mounted on Baykar drones. If this happens, it would mark a win-win bilateral cooperation that would guarantee a competitive advantage in the defense market regarding effectiveness and flexibility. In a time of growing global challenges and emerging technological apparatuses, the integration of Leonardo-Baykar would, therefore, allow a certain operational and strategic flexibility. Moreover, it would further seal the vital cooperation between Italy and Türkiye in security and defense.
By belonging to the same Mediterranean basin, both countries face the same challenges and opportunities. The common membership to international organizations, including NATO, also elevates them to crucial partners to invest in to contain threats and thus, they emerge as complimentary security stakeholders. Moreover, the convergence of many regional dossiers proves the important and already well-established dialogue supported by common values and strategic considerations. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that in the era of global challenges and uncertainty, Türkiye has distinguished itself as a regional "balancing actor" thanks to its inclination to dialogue and mediation efforts. Shreds of evidence of this are the negotiations in the Russian-Ukrainian chessboard, the mediation on some African dossiers, including the most recent agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia, the continuous efforts for the stabilization of the Middle East, including the fundamental role in the new Syria and the regular contacts amid at a solution to the Israeli conflict.
Thanks to continuous investments at the defense and diplomatic level, Ankara has sealed its transformation from "security consumer" to "security provider," marking its role as a regional pivot with a global vocation. This fits well with Italy's strategic priorities, which, under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni, are more inclined to a realpolitik approach and to carve out a sort of strategic autonomy in the defense of Italian interests. Hence, its congruence and integration with Türkiye's vision. As a matter of fact, the wider Mediterranean is, therefore, an area where Italy's diplomatic projection is expressed, and especially the Meloni government is paying close attention to the African continent, in line with the so-called "Mattei plan." In Africa, Türkiye boasts a historical presence and significant stakes in various fields, including security and defense. Therefore, there is ample scope for cooperation in this perspective.
Furthermore, the most recent agreements between Italy and Saudi Arabia, including the one signed by Leonardo in the aerospace and defense fields, might be combined in spirit and style with those sealed almost in parallel between Ankara and Riyad, pivoting on closer cooperation in defense, export and possible local production of Bayrak drones. All suggest that in a time of global transition, for Türkiye and Italy, as partners, allies and friends, the margins of cooperation and synergies, also at the industrial level, are vast and crucial. The fortification of the already existing synergies indeed leads to further integration while protecting the national interest and mutual strategic goals.
