European defence giant Leonardo opens a subsidiary in Ukraine

Italian Leonardo, one of Europe’s largest defence companies, has registered a legal entity in Ukraine. The local office will focus on research and experimental development, according to the Italian media outlet Milano Finanza.

The subsidiary was established in May this year, and the registered capital amounted to UAH 5.1m, according to YouControl. 100% of the business belongs to the parent structure, Leonardo International.

CEO Lorenzo Mariani stated that Ukraine’s experience, gained during the war against Russia, is exceptional, and that the company should therefore cooperate with it. ‘A successful partnership, like the one between Leonardo and Baykar, should also involve forms of cooperation with the Ukrainian drone industry,’ Mariani added. This presumably refers to joint ventures – precisely the kind established by Leonardo and Baykar.

In addition, by the end of the year Leonardo plans to test its Michelangelo Dome system in Ukraine. This is an air defence ‘shield’ that operates on the basis of sensors and AI. Thanks to these, the system can track and destroy aerial threats.

Leonardo was founded in 1948 as Finmeccanica. It currently operates in 150 countries through subsidiaries, joint ventures and investments. Last year, Leonardo’s revenue amounted to €19.5bn.

The company’s areas of operation include aerospace, defence, cybersecurity, automation and others. In particular, its technologies have been used for the Artemis space mission, and the company also participates in the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.