Italy plans new air defense to shield Europe from hypersonic missiles

Italian defense and aerospace company Leonardo has unveiled plans for the Michelangelo Dome, a multilayered, AI-driven air defense system designed to protect Europe from emerging threats such as hypersonic missiles, drone swarms, and naval attacks. Named after the famed Italian Renaissance artist, the system aims to safeguard critical infrastructure, urban areas, and territories through a modular, scalable, and multi-domain approach that integrates aerial, maritime, and ground defense capabilities. The Michelangelo Dome will leverage advanced data fusion and predictive algorithms to detect, track, and neutralize threats, even during large-scale coordinated attacks, with full operational capability targeted for 2028 and phased rollouts beforehand. The system reflects a strategic effort to enhance European and NATO defense autonomy amid evolving security challenges, particularly in response to Russia’s aggressive use of advanced weaponry in the Ukraine conflict. Leonardo’s CEO Roberto Cingolani emphasized the need for innovation and international cooperation in defense, highlighting Michelangelo Dome’s role in anticipating hostile activity and optimizing counter