Italian aerospace giant Leonardo moves to partner with Türkiye's leading drone maker Baykar PHOTO

Stefano Pontecorvo, President of the Italian aerospace and defence company Leonardo, emphasized the swift development of cooperation with Baykar, a leading Turkish drone manufacturer.

Pontecorvo's comments were shared by SavunmaSanayiST.com on its social media platform X, per Caliber.Az.

İtalyan Savunma Devi Leonardo’nun Başkanı Stefano Pontecorvo:

“Baykar son derece ciddi insanların yönettiği bir şirket. Eğer mükemmel düzeyde bir şirket olmasaydı, 12 yıl içinde bu sektörde lider konuma gelemezdi.

Leonardo olarak Piaggio Aerospace (Baykar'ın satın aldığı) ile… pic.twitter.com/rQKS1txu2m

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) February 25, 2025

He underlined the urgency of the collaboration, stating, “There is no more room for wasting time in the defence industry. The era of words is over.”

Pontecorvo, who visited Baykar's production facility in Istanbul last week, praised the company’s leadership and capabilities, saying, “Baykar is a company run by extremely serious people. If it wasn’t a great company, it wouldn’t have become a leader in this industry in just 12 years.”

While Leonardo does not have a direct relationship with Piaggio Aerospace (which Baykar acquired), Pontecorvo noted, “As we are looking to partner with the Turks, and if the negotiations we are having progress positively, we will definitely be keeping a close eye on such a prestigious Italian company."

Pontecorvo also remarked on the potential of Piaggio Aerospace’s success, stating, “Baykar is a world champion, and we are in talks to try to cooperate. If Piaggio succeeds, its return to the field will be remarkable.”

In an interview with Italy's state news agency ANSA, Pontecorvo affirmed that Leonardo is committed to accelerating the cooperation with Baykar. When asked about the pace of the process, he replied, “Roberto Cingolani, the company’s CEO, is moving fast on the matter. He is almost like a Formula 1 car. So yes, the process will move fast. There is no room for wasting time in the defence industry anymore. The era of talking is over."

During his visit to Baykar’s production centre, Pontecorvo reiterated his admiration for the Turkish company’s achievements. “Baykar is a company run by extremely serious people. If it was not an excellent company, it would not have become a leader in this sector in 12 years," he stated.

Pontecorvo also mentioned the potential for collaboration with Piaggio, saying, “We will soon have very good news about possible cooperation with Piaggio. Baykar is the world leader, and we are in talks to try to cooperate. If it is successful, the return to that region will be spectacular.”

Baykar Technologies, renowned for producing the Bayraktar TB2, Akinci, and Kizilelma drones, acquired Piaggio Aerospace in December. The acquisition has prompted discussions about Leonardo’s potential cooperation with Baykar, with Italy’s Made in Italy Ministry making statements on the matter.

By Tamilla Hasanova