MILAN — In a major boost to carrier air power, a formal Italian acquisition for an undisclosed number of Turkish TB3 combat drones is projected for the third quarter of this year, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar told Breaking Defense today.
Rome’s interest in the medium-altitude long-endurance platform has recently intensified, with the Italian Navy Chief Vice Adm. Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto solidifying rollout plans during a parliamentary hearing last month.
Speaking before the Italian Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on March 25, the official said that the TB3 “can be integrated onboard the Cavour aircraft carrier to allow both surveillance and the possibility of carrying armament.” He did not reveal an aircraft quantity at the time.
At an industry level, the engagement is largely driven by the partnership between Turkish manufacturer Baykar and the Italian defense giant Leonardo, which established a 50-50 joint venture in June. Dubbed LBA Systems, the Italy-based venture will develop and produce drones by combining Baykar’s platforms with Leonardo’s expertise in electronics and sensors.
Bayraktar explained that the platforms are to be built at the Ronchi dei Legionari facility in Northern Italy, which, according to a Leonardo statement, serves as a “center of excellence” for unmanned systems.
With this purchase, Italy is set to become the first European operator of the TB3, beyond Turkey. The platform is a more advanced, naval variant of the TB2 and is capable of short-range take-off and landing.
According to available information from the Italian navy, the Cavour aircraft carrier can carry a mixed fleet of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, totaling 20-24 units, with the F-35B as the primary aircraft. Francesco Schiavi, a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute Switzerland based in Italy, said the TB3 will “partly replace the helicopter component rather than the fighter jets.”
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Federico Borsari, an Italian fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, expects that the Italian flagship carrier could carry a minimum of 20 TB3s, citing the drone’s foldable wings as an advantage that makes onboard storage easier.
Rome is also undertaking a major overhaul of its naval capabilities by integrating unmanned systems, specifically prioritizing locally-manufactured ones.
In his speech to parliament, Berutti Bergotto revealed plans to acquire an Italian-made 12-meter-long unmanned underwater vehicle for undersea surveillance missions by June. The country will also purchase an 8.5-meter-long unmanned surface vessel, the Sea Raptor, produced by the Italian manufacturer Defcomm, which can equip all Navy ships.