Bayraktar TB2 Maker, Baykar Technology Acquires Italian Icon Piaggio Aerospace
Baykar, renowned for developing the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, outbid competitors from various countries in a competitive tender for the acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace, founded in 1884.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Baykar Technology, the world’s largest combat drone manufacturer from Türkiye, has successfully won the bid to acquire Italian aerospace giant Piaggio Aerospace, which has been in operation for over 130 years.
Baykar, renowned for developing the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, outbid competitors from various countries in a competitive tender for the acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace, founded in 1884.
The Turkish company collaborated with Pragma Consulting for financial valuation throughout the bidding process.
Italian Minister Adolfo Urso was quoted as saying, “After six years of waiting, we are giving Piaggio Aerospace, a strategic asset for our country, a future with long-term production prospects while safeguarding corporate facilities and workforce.”
He emphasized that the company’s revival is secured through a clear and ambitious industrial vision.
Piaggio Aerospace is well-known in the aviation industry for producing the P.180 Avanti business jet, often dubbed the “Ferrari of the skies,” as well as aircraft engines.
The Italian aerospace company also plays a strategic role in Italy’s defense industry ecosystem through its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. Piaggio Aerospace is recognized for its contributions to Italy’s technological infrastructure over its 140-year history.
With this acquisition, Baykar is poised to expand its influence in the European aviation market while preserving the historic legacy of the iconic Italian company and enhancing its production capacity.
In 2023, Baykar ranked among Türkiye’s top 10 exporters across all sectors, with exports totaling USD 1.8 billion.
According to a report by the U.S.-based think tank Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Türkiye controls 65% of the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) export market, with Baykar alone commanding nearly 60%—three times the market share of its closest U.S. competitor.
In recent years, Baykar has derived over 90% of its revenue from exports, delivering Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI UCAVs to 35 countries.
Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drone is the most exported drone globally this year, outperforming competitors from Israel, the United States, and other nations.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) reconnaissance and strike drone with a wingspan of 12 meters. It is equipped with advanced avionics systems and can carry four guided missiles.
In addition to the TB2, other Turkish drones such as the Akinci, also developed by Baykar, have emerged among the most exported drones this year, as listed by Clash Report.
The Bayraktar TB2 is regarded as a cost-effective solution and has been deployed in conflicts in Libya, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine.
According to Clash Report, 34 Bayraktar TB2 drones have been exported this year, surpassing Israeli-made UAVs. – DSA
