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Italy’s Leonardo is set to unveil a new type of air-defence technology designed to facilitate the creation of Dome-style missile shields, as European countries race to strengthen their military protection against Russia.
Chief executive Roberto Cingolani on Thursday will present advanced plans for its “Michelangelo Dome”, an artificial intelligence-based system that can connect different equipment and platforms to protect countries from air threats in a similar way to Israel’s Iron Dome.
People familiar with Leonardo’s plans, unveiled to top Italian army officials earlier this week, said the system was based on software which was not linked to a single military platform so any country could use it for its own existing vehicles, structures and systems.
“It’s based on the Nato standard, where we don’t all have the same platforms,” said one person. “This will allow for faster and more co-ordinated implementation without focusing on competing aircraft, tanks and missiles.”
The Italian defence champion’s move, trailed by Cingolani in July, comes as European countries try to respond to Russian aggression by developing better air and missile capabilities.
Three years ago, Germany unveiled a European Sky Shield Initiative that would include countries jointly procuring equipment to ensure better interoperability and standardised defence platforms. The project blindsided French officials and was criticised for relying too heavily on weapon systems manufactured outside the continent.
More than 20 nations have since signed up to Sky Shield, including the UK, the Baltic states, Sweden and Finland.
Although countries make their own procurement decisions, Germany has said it plans to buy Iris-T missiles from homegrown manufacturer Diehl Group for medium-range protection, the Patriot from US-based Raytheon Technologies for long range and the Arrow 3 from Israel for very long range.
Leonardo’s dome project is built on the contractor’s strategy over the past three years, creating a space division, focusing on drones as well as AI and cyber technology.
Cingolani described the dome project as “the largest integration programme ever in the defence industry” at its earnings presentation earlier this month, enabling a quick response to potential attacks.
The “multi-domain, interconnected AI-driven system” was at an advanced stage, with the company running trials on neutralising airspace attacks, said people familiar with the project. Its system should become fully operational by the end of the decade, they said.
“The aim is for all platforms to communicate and be interchangeable,” said one of the people.
Leonardo declined to comment.
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