Turkish drone giant Baykar to make debut at prestigious Paris Air Show In collaboration with Italy’s Leonardo / VIDEO

Turkish defence leader Baykar is preparing to present its domestically engineered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the International Paris Air Show, one of the most prominent events in global aviation.

The 55th edition of the air show will run from June 16 to 22 at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, drawing top figures from the aviation and space industries and serving as a platform for cutting-edge technology showcases, Caliber.Az reports, referring to Turkish media.

Among the highlights this year is the international debut of the joint venture between Baykar and Italian defence firm Leonardo SpA. The collaboration, named LBA Systems, will be officially introduced at the air show.

On June 10, Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani and Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar released a joint YouTube video titled “Let’s meet at #ParisAirShow,” inviting visitors to their joint exhibition stand.

Cingolani emphasised the strategic fit between the companies, saying:

“The strong synergy between Leonardo and Baykar is really the asset of the joint venture. We can combine the most advanced payloads, electronics, sensors, cameras, and technologies with the most advanced drones that Baykar is fabricating with different sizes and payloads.”

Bayraktar echoed the sentiment, stating:

“LBA Systems brings together two engineering heavyweights with a shared vision: Baykar’s battle-proven UCAV technologies and Leonardo’s European experience and system integration form a perfect alliance—let’s meet, connect, and take part in these exciting days together.”

For the first time at the Paris Air Show, Baykar will display its indigenously produced UAVs, including:

• The Bayraktar Akıncı, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) known for its high payload capacity and long-range operational ability,

• The Bayraktar TB3, the world’s first UAV designed for takeoff and landing on short-runway naval vessels,

• And the Kemankes 1, a mini intelligent cruise missile powered by artificial intelligence, capable of hitting targets over 200 kilometres (124 miles) away with high precision.

Baykar is recognised as one of the world’s top UAV exporters. It has finalised export agreements with 35 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 and with 15 countries for the Bayraktar Akıncı.

By Tamilla Hasanova