March 12, 2026
Leonardo has chosen a practical approach by planning to test unspecified components of its new integrated air and missile defense system, known as Michelangelo, directly in Ukraine
The Italian defense giant Leonardo plans to test components of its advanced integrated defense system Michelangelo in Ukraine by the end of this year. Testing in NATO member states is expected to begin in 2027. This was announced on Thursday, March 12, by the company’s CEO Roberto Cingolani.
“The first component of the Michelangelo dome is currently being built for our friends in Ukraine,” he said, according to Breaking Defense. The company declined to provide further details about the project, including which specific components will be tested in Ukraine. However, Leonardo emphasized that testing systems in real combat conditions in Ukraine is highly effective.
In practice, Michelangelo will combine elements of air defense and missile defense, although Western media often describe it simply as an “air defense dome.” According to Leonardo, users of the system will receive a full range of capabilities to intercept virtually all types of aerial threats, from drones to ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
It can be cautiously assumed that the components tested in Ukraine will focus on the air defense segment of the Michelangelo dome, particularly counter-drone capabilities. During the NATO testing phase scheduled for next year, the system will undergo evaluations against ballistic missile threats as well as tests of its command-and-control architecture.
In 2028 and 2029, the project is expected to expand its space-based capabilities through the deployment of Guardian satellite constellations.
By the end of 2030, Michelangelo is expected to be fully integrated into the air and missile defense architecture of NATO and EU member states. This represents an ambitious timeline for a project of this scale.
Leonardo states that the Michelangelo dome will integrate next-generation sensors for land, sea, air, and space domains, along with cybersecurity platforms, command-and-control systems, artificial intelligence tools, and other components. However, the company has not yet disclosed which interceptors or weapons will be used at different layers of the system. The central element will be the MC5 module, designed to provide multi-domain connectivity.
According to Leonardo, the system will be capable of detecting, tracking, and destroying threats even during large-scale missile and drone attacks, coordinating responses automatically and selecting the most appropriate interceptors for each target.
In essence, Leonardo is developing a system similar to the SkyGuardian air and missile defense dome, which is being developed by the European defense company Thales. Leonardo also noted that it is open to cooperation with other manufacturers working on similar air defense dome concepts, including France’s Thales.
Leonardo plans to market Michelangelo in several configurations. These may include standalone software for the MC5 module or a full package with integrated weapons systems, including solutions developed by MBDA. It is therefore quite possible that Leonardo’s system could be integrated in Ukraine with air defense systems already in service.
Previously, Defense Express also reported on what types of weapons Ukraine could potentially produce jointly with the Italian company Leonardo.