Turkish company Baykar to produce TB2 and Akinci UAVs in Italy after acquiring Piaggio Aerospace.

The Turkish company Baykar will begin production of its TB2 and Akinci unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Italy, following the formal completion of its acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace’s two business complexes, Piaggio Aero Industries and Piaggio Aviation. The official handover was finalized on June 30, 2025, at the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. The acquisition was approved by the Italian Prime Minister’s Office under the golden power regulation, which applies to foreign investments in sectors considered of strategic national importance. The assets include Piaggio’s facilities in Villanova d’Albenga and Genoa.
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Piaggio Aerospace’s infrastructure is intended to support maintenance, export logistics, and production of unmanned aerial systems, such as the TB2 and the Akinci, within Europe. (Picture source: Baykar)

The transfer was completed in the presence of the Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar Chairman and CTO Selçuk Bayraktar, and the Extraordinary Commissioners of Piaggio Aerospace, Carmelo Cosentino, Vincenzo Nicastro, and Gianpaolo Davide Rossetti. Minister Urso stated that the transaction constitutes a significant industrial milestone, citing the potential to enhance Italy’s role in the unmanned aviation sector through cooperation with Baykar and Leonardo. Urso described the operation as a way to relaunch a historical aerospace entity and integrate it into a broader framework of European defense industry development. The Minister referenced the strategic partnership between Baykar and Leonardo, which has been formalized through a joint venture named LBA Systems. This new company, based in Italy and owned in equal parts by the two firms, will design, produce, and maintain unmanned aerial systems. The joint venture aims to supply the European and international markets over the next ten years, a market estimated to reach $100 billion in areas including unmanned combat aircraft, armed surveillance UAVs, and deep-strike drones.

Baykar has committed to maintaining existing employment levels at Piaggio’s Italian facilities and plans to expand the workforce in accordance with increased production needs. CEO Haluk Bayraktar stated that the company will pursue industrial development while continuing existing operations, aiming to scale up production of the P.180 Avanti EVO aircraft. Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar confirmed that, in addition to the UAV production lines, the company will also establish a maintenance center for both aircraft and engines. These activities will be conducted in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Defence, which has supported upgrades to Piaggio’s platforms in recent years. The Extraordinary Commissioners overseeing the transaction described the operation as a stabilizing measure that ensures continued industrial activity and employment. They underlined that Piaggio Aerospace remained operational throughout the transition without relying on bank financing or state support.

Baykar’s industrial plan includes the production of the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci UAVs at Piaggio’s sites. The TB2, developed by Baykar starting in 2014, is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) with a maximum takeoff weight of 700 kg and a payload capacity of 150 kg. It can operate up to 27 hours and is equipped with laser-guided munitions, including MAM-C, MAM-L, and BOZOK. The TB2 has seen combat use in conflicts including Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine. Over 600 units have been produced. The system includes ground control stations capable of autonomous taxi, takeoff, landing, and flight. Initially reliant on foreign subsystems, such as Canadian Wescam optics and Austrian Rotax engines, the TB2 has transitioned to domestic components following export restrictions, including the TEI-PD170 engine and Aselsan’s CATS electro-optical system. However, many international customers continue to procure the original Wescam MX-15D system through authorized distributors.

The Akinci is a high-altitude long-endurance UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of 5.5 tonnes and a payload capacity of 1,350 kg. It entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in August 2021 and has since been exported to several countries. Akinci is powered by two turboprop engines with options ranging from 450 to 850 hp each. The platform is capable of using various munitions, including bunker-buster bombs such as the NEB-84, guided bombs, and air-to-surface cruise missiles like SOM. It is equipped with satellite communication systems, AESA radar (MURAD), synthetic aperture radar, and electronic warfare and signal intelligence capabilities. The Akinci has participated in various military and civil missions, including search and rescue support after natural disasters, and has reportedly conducted operational strikes in Libya and northern Iraq. Its integration into Piaggio’s infrastructure is intended to support maintenance, export logistics, and production of advanced unmanned systems within Europe. This integration of UAV production into Piaggio’s infrastructure also serves as a foundation for the broader industrial cooperation between Baykar and Leonardo, which is being formalized through a joint venture aimed at advancing unmanned technologies in Europe.

The industrial partnership between Baykar and Leonardo includes Leonardo sites in Ronchi dei Legionari, Turin, Rome Tiburtina, Nerviano, and Grottaglie. Leonardo is expected to provide capabilities in mission systems, payload integration, certification, and aerospace component manufacturing. The partnership extends to the development of multi-domain command, control, communications, and space systems. Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani described the collaboration as a means to address current defense challenges such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and sixth-generation fighter integration. Both firms stated that the new joint venture aims to combine UAV platforms with mission-critical systems in compliance with European standards and export regulations. Selçuk Bayraktar emphasized that Baykar’s focus includes AI-supported systems for unmanned missions and that Baykar views this initiative as part of its long-term approach to industrial expansion through bilateral agreements.

Piaggio Aerospace, originally founded in 1884 and historically associated with both aviation and motor vehicles, has undergone multiple restructurings and ownership changes over the past decades. Following its bankruptcy in the late 1990s, Piaggio Aero was acquired by a group of investors that included Piero Ferrari, the Di Mase family, and later, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Company and India’s Tata Group. The company focused on civil aviation with the production of the P.180 Avanti business aircraft and later developed the P.1HH Hammerhead UAV, a maritime ISR platform. Despite investments, Piaggio was declared insolvent in 2018. Under the oversight of government-appointed extraordinary commissioners, Piaggio was restructured without state aid or loans. By 2022, it had achieved €152 million in revenue and held an order book valued at around €500 million. The company was put up for sale in 2020, and Baykar’s acquisition was officially completed in December 2024, making it the sole owner of the facilities.

Baykar’s acquisition concludes Piaggio’s extraordinary administration and repurposes its production sites to support UAV manufacturing and aircraft maintenance operations in Europe. The P.180 Avanti EVO will continue production alongside Baykar UAVs. The facilities in Villanova d’Albenga and Genoa will be part of Baykar’s European industrial base, serving export, training, certification, and operational needs. The consolidation of TB2 and Akinci production in Italy aligns with Baykar’s efforts to meet NATO and EU standards, particularly given the widespread use of these systems among partner states. The broader context includes drone sales to EU countries such as Poland and Romania, and active negotiations with additional European operators. The cooperation between Italy and Türkiye in this sector reinforces bilateral defense ties and provides a framework for joint technological development in unmanned aviation.