LBA Systems
Joint venture between Leonardo and Baykar productionising the Astore Levante combat drone.
Last refreshed: 24 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
A Turkish combat drone is now built on Italian lines; what does LBA Systems change about who arms Europe?
Timeline for LBA Systems
Unveiled Astore Levante and declared itself fully operational
Drones: Industry & Defence: Leonardo, Baykar put TB3 on Italian linesMentioned in: Britain unveils its first sovereign combat drone
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
LBA Systems, a joint venture owned by Leonardo and Baykar, unveiled the Bayraktar TB3-derived Astore Levante combat drone at Farnborough on 22 July 2026 and declared the venture fully operational. The aircraft mates Baykar's combat-proven TB3 airframe with Leonardo sensors, mission systems and ground control, and will be built through Leonardo's own production lines.
Leonardo and Baykar chose neither an in-house build nor a straight licence: the cross-border joint venture takes an airframe that is already flying and puts a European industrial base under it. Baykar has spent 2026 turning its drone line into exports, closing its first Kizilelma jet-drone sale to Indonesia in May; the Leonardo tie-up hands the same portfolio a Western manufacturing home and a route into NATO buyers Ankara alone could not reach.
The venture puts a Turkish-designed combat-proven airframe (TB3) into Italian production for the first time, arriving in the same Farnborough week as Britain's Brontanax and Anduril and Archer's Thunder.
What is LBA Systems?
Why did Leonardo partner with Baykar?
Where is the Astore Levante built?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 24 July 2026. Editorial standards.