Leonardo to Test Michelangelo Air Defense System in Ukraine

Italian defense company Leonardo plans to test elements of its Michelangelo integrated air defense system in Ukraine by the end of 2026. The battlefield environment will allow the company to validate technologies designed to counter drones and advanced missile threats.

According to CEO Roberto Cingolani, these tests will precede broader trials in NATO countries starting in 2027. Early evaluations are expected to focus mainly on counter-drone capabilities.

Michelangelo is designed as a multi-layered air and missile defense architecture linking sensors, interceptors, and command systems into a unified network capable of addressing threats ranging from small drones to ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

At the center of the system is a multi-domain C5 command module that processes large volumes of sensor data and selects the most appropriate interceptor. This networked approach replaces the traditional one-sensor-to-one-shooter model with a flexible “kill web” capable of responding to complex attacks such as drone swarms.

Leonardo has already begun demonstrating parts of the concept. In December 2025, the company successfully tested its KRONOS Grand Mobile High Power radar with the SAMP/T air defense system, achieving a record interception range during land-based trials.

Italy is expected to be the first operational base for Michelangelo, which Leonardo positions as a potential European air defense architecture compatible with NATO systems, with full capability targeted before 2030.