The result reinforces the technological foundations of Italy’s Michelangelo Security Dome and its potential European relevance.
The news: On December 3, 2025, Leonardo completed the first qualification launch of the Italian SAMP/T NG missile system equipped with its latest-generation KRONOS Grand Mobile High Power radar sensor.
- According to the company, the radar successfully tracked the target and guided the interceptor to a record distance for the Eurosam SAMP/T system in a land-based demonstration.
Decoding the news: Italy is advancing the core technological pillars of its future integrated air and missile defence architecture, with implications for European layered defence capabilities.
- The radar is based on a multifunction AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) architecture and is designed for air and missile defence applications.
What’s notable: Leonardo describes the performance as confirming KRONOS Grand Mobile High Power as a best‑in‑class European sensor for air and missile defence systems.
Context: The test follows earlier international exercises, including Formidable Shield and Pacific Dragon, as well as additional trials on surface‑to‑air missile (SAM) systems.
Between the lines: The company’s messaging highlights both the national industrial capability and the growing strategic emphasis on layered missile defence across Europe.
The bigger picture: The radar is one of the technological pillars of the forthcoming Michelangelo Security Dome, Italy’s planned integrated defence architecture. Leonardo positions the Dome as an open and dynamic system potentially suited for broader European integration against aerial and missile threats.
