Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said the medium-class UAVs being developed with Baykar are expected to emerge in April, addressing strong demand for European-certified drones.

Developed by Baykar, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV has surpassed 150,000 flight hours. The advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicle continues operational missions and integration tests with new indigenous systems and munitions.

The first medium-class UAVs developed under the Baykar–Leonardo partnership will complete assembly in April. The program is progressing ahead of schedule.

During a NATO exercise, Bayraktar TB-3 autonomously took off and landed on TCG Anadolu in snowy conditions, while in 2019 Bayraktar TB-2 broke a 27-hour endurance record during a sandstorm in Kuwait, reinforcing Türkiye’s global UAV leadership.

During the acceptance process of the Bayraktar TB2, Özdemir Bayraktar’s uncompromising stance against using foreign radios highlighted the strategic importance of national systems in Türkiye’s defense industry.

Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar announced that 2026 will be the “year of production” for Baykar. Rapid manufacturing, AI-enabled swarm technologies and the operational deployment of KIZILELMA will define the company’s roadmap.

Baykar achieved $2.2 billion in exports in 2025, maintaining its position as the world’s leading exporter of armed unmanned aerial vehicles and strengthening Türkiye’s high-technology exports.

Baykar-owned Piaggio Aerospace has delivered its first P.180 Avanti EVO aircraft to Japan-based Nakanihon Air. The delivery marks the aircraft’s official entry into the Japanese aviation market.