The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has officially approved the establishment of a joint venture between Turkey's "Baykar" and Italy's defense giant "Leonardo" for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
According to "Haber Global", the Council of Ministers granted conditional approval for the joint company with a 50-50 ownership structure. The company will handle the design, development, and manufacturing of UAVs.
The Italian government utilized the "Golden Power" mechanism to oversee the agreement. This mechanism allows for reviewing, vetoing, and imposing special requirements on investments in strategic sectors. Under the conditions, exports of the joint venture will be limited to countries that support NATO and EU policies.
Additionally, full confidentiality of technologies and classified information used in the project must be ensured.
Recall that the creation of the joint company named "LBA Systems" was announced in March 2025, and the official contract was signed in June of the same year.
