Italy’s Michelangelo air defense “dome” is being tested in Ukraine

Italian defense company Leonardo plans to test its latest Michelangelo air defense system in Ukraine.

This is reported by Breaking Defense.

According to the company’s CEO Roberto Cingolani , tests in real combat conditions could begin by the end of 2026 .

Currently, the first component of the Michelangelo protective “ dome” is already being built specifically for Ukrainian partners.

A feature of the system is its open architecture, which allows for the creation of protected zones with a radius of approximately 10-15 kilometers . Such a network can be scaled if necessary .

After testing in Ukraine, the company plans to conduct official tests of the system within NATO in 2027 .

They will include testing the capabilities to repel ballistic missile attacks and integrating Michelangelo into the pan-European air defense management system .

Leonardo also expects that the Michelangelo project could bring the company about 21 billion euros by 2035. According to the company, representatives of about 20 countries have already shown interest in the system .

The system uses sensors and predictive algorithms for early threat detection and rapid response.