Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleLeonardo introduces the Michelangelo Dome, a new air defence system designed to protect European infrastructure from various threats, operational by 2028.
By Giulia Segreti
ROME (Reuters) -Italy's defence and aerospace group Leonardo on Thursday presented plans for a new multi-layered air defence system, as European countries step up military capabilities to bolster defences against Russia and other threats.
The "Michelangelo Dome" is designed to protect critical infrastructure and key areas of national or international interest from threats by connecting different platforms and equipment in space, air, on land or at sea.
The system is able to detect, track, intercept and neutralise incoming air threats like rockets, missiles, and drones before they can cause harm and will work similarly to Israel's Iron Dome, which has been operational since 2011.
"This is a model that is important for security in Italy, Europe, and NATO countries in the coming years," Leonardo Chief Executive Roberto Cingolani said at the presentation in Rome.
Cingolani said that the state-controlled company would set up a team made up of Leonardo staff and the Italian armed forces to "design an architecture according to the needs of our defence."
After a partial implementation, Michelangelo will start to be fully operational from 2028. The plans were presented to top Italian military officials in the past few days.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has recently called for solutions to combat hybrid warfare threats, particularly for energy infrastructure and airports.
"Each country can integrate its own technologies," Crosetto said on Thursday.
"Together, we can cooperate to create a highly advanced defence system against all types of threats, from hypersonic missiles to small drones, because threats now come in many different forms," he said from Paris after a meeting with French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.
Crosetto said Italy had already talked to other European countries about the project.
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti. Editing by Jane Merriman)
An air defence system is a network of technologies and strategies designed to detect, track, intercept, and neutralize airborne threats such as missiles, drones, and aircraft.
Hybrid warfare refers to a strategy that blends conventional military tactics with irregular tactics, cyber warfare, and other forms of conflict to achieve strategic objectives.
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance of countries from North America and Europe established for mutual defense against aggression.
Critical infrastructure refers to the essential systems and assets that are vital for the functioning of a society and economy, including transportation, energy, and communication systems.
The Iron Dome is an Israeli air defense system designed to intercept and destroy short-range threats such as rockets and artillery shells.
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