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Ukraine to Test Leonardo’s “Michelangelo” Air Defense Dome Ahead of NATO
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The Italian defense company Leonardo plans to test components of its advanced integrated defense system, Michelangelo, in Ukraine by the end of this year.
NATO member states will begin their own trials of the system later in 2027. This timeline places Ukraine at the forefront of testing the new technology under real conditions, according to Breaking Defense on March 12.
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“The first component of the Michelangelo dome is currently being built for our friends in Ukraine,” Cingolani told Breaking Defense. The company has not shared specific details about the project or which exact components will be sent for testing.
Leonardo leadership expressed confidence that testing equipment in active combat environments in Ukraine is a highly effective approach for development.
The Michelangelo system is designed to combine air and missile defense elements. Leonardo states that the “dome” will provide a full range of capabilities to intercept nearly all types of aerial threats, ranging from drones to ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
While Western media often refers to it simply as an air defense dome, its scope is intended to be much broader.
The initial phase of testing in Ukraine will likely focus on the anti-drone components of the system. This follows the established schedule for NATO trials next year, which are expected to focus on ballistic missile defense and command and control systems. Between 2028 and 2029, the project aims to expand into space-based capabilities using the Guardian satellite clusters.
Leonardo intends for Michelangelo to be fully integrated into the air and missile defense networks of NATO and EU member states by the end of 2030.
The system will utilize next-generation sensors for land, sea, air, and space, alongside cyber defense platforms and artificial intelligence. The MC5 module will serve as the central element, ensuring communication across different domains.
The company claims the system can detect, track, and destroy threats even during mass missile and drone strikes. It is designed to coordinate responses automatically and select the most appropriate weapons for each target. Leonardo is positioned to offer Michelangelo as a counterpart to other European systems like SkyGuardian.
The company has expressed openness to collaborating with other manufacturers, including France’s Thales.
Leonardo plans to market the system in various configurations, ranging from standalone software for the MC5 module to full packages that include weaponry from MBDA.
In November 2025, Ukraine and France signed a historic bilateral defense agreement that secured the delivery of eight next-generation SAMP/T NG air defense systems. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Ukraine would be the first to deploy this advanced technology as soon as it reached operational readiness.
Under the terms of the ten-year deal, the Ukrainian Air Force was set to receive a total of 48 launchers, alongside a broader commitment to the joint production and procurement of drones and interceptor systems.
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