ROME / ISTANBUL

Italian defense and aerospace firm Leonardo will make efforts for cooperation with Turkish drones producer Baykar to proceed swiftly, the company's chairman said on Monday, state news agency ANSA reported.

In response to a question about whether the process will move fast, Leonardo's chairman Stefano Pontecorvo said Roberto Cingolani, the company's CEO, is moving fast on the matter.

“He is almost like a Formula 1 car. So yes, the process will move fast. There is no room for wasting time in the defense industry anymore. The era of talking is over," he said.

Pontecorvo also visited Baykar's production facility in Istanbul last week.

“Baykar is a company run by extremely serious people. If it was not an excellent company, it would not have become a leader in this sector in 12 years," he said.

"Leonardo does not have a direct relationship with Piaggio Aerospace (which Baykar acquired), but as we aim to partner with the Turks, and if the negotiations go well, we will certainly keep a close eye on such a prestigious Italian company," he added.

Pontecorvo also told the Genoa-based Il Secolo XIX newspaper: “We will soon have very good news about possible cooperation with Piaggio, which was bought by the Turks. Baykar is the world leader and we are in talks to try to cooperate. If it is successful, the return to that region will be spectacular.”

Baykar Technologies, the manufacturer of Bayraktar TB2, Akinci and Kizilelma drones, acquired Italian aerospace giant Piaggio in December and Italy's Made in Italy Ministry made statements regarding Leonardo's possible cooperation with Baykar.