During the hearing at the joint Defense committees of the Senate and Chamber, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto outlined the strategic priorities of the new Multi-Year Programmatic Document, focusing on the creation of a true national “dome”: a multi-layered protective shield integrating space capabilities, missile systems, and advanced anti-drone systems.
A defense architecture never seen before
Crosetto explained that the new defensive shield will require approximately 4.4 billion euros in the coming years.
«The national ‘dome’ is a multi-layered protective architecture that includes space, missile, and anti-drone defense. A defense we have never had and that is no longer dispensable», he declared.
The project includes:
- space-based missile warning systems,
- advanced radars,
- air defense aircraft like the GCAP, the future sixth-generation fighter,
- the Samp-T battery in its next-generation version,
- a set of anti-drone systems capable of responding to emerging threats.
This is an interoperable and multi-layered system, designed to ensure protection of the national territory based on lessons learned from contemporary conflicts: from the capabilities of the Israeli shield to the missile and drone attacks that daily hit Ukraine.
All the doubts of an unexplored field
The construction of a national space shield inevitably raises questions related to technological complexity and development times. Today, in fact, only Israel has a truly efficient “Dome” system, the result of decades of investments, field testing, and multi-layered integration between Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow.
Even the United States, with the world's largest missile defense infrastructure, achieve an average interception rate of around 80% in tests, confirming how challenging this sector remains even for the most experienced powers.
A possible way out of this “unexplored territory” could be a joint venture with France, capitalizing on the already existing collaboration in air defense with the SAMP-T / Mamba program. Rome and Paris have shared technologies, industries, and doctrine in the missile field for years: extending this synergy towards an Italian-French European “dome” would mean combining know-how, industrial capabilities, and financial resources that Italy alone would struggle to sustain.
A joint project would allow not only to spread development costs and reduce timeframes, but also to ensure from the outset full interoperability within NATO and the EU, transforming the space shield from a national ambition into a credible piece of a broader continental defense architecture.
«In Ukraine a war of drones»
Crosetto then drew attention to the increasingly technological nature of modern wars:
«The war in Ukraine continues with intense Russian attacks. We observe how this has now become a war of drones, characterized by a very rapid cycle of technological innovation».
The minister emphasized how emerging and low-cost technologies allow even hostile entities to acquire tools that are difficult to intercept and counter, from drones to mini-drones operable individually or in swarms.
«Emerging technologies play a key role in strategic, military, and industrial dynamics», he added.
The Defense reform and the issue of voluntary conscription
One of the most significant parts of the hearing concerned the future of military personnel and the hypothesis of a renewed voluntary conscription.
«The 244 must be overcome: it was built in a different era. We need to increase the armed forces and improve their quality, also by drawing on civilian expertise that the market offers today», Crosetto stated.
The minister recalled:
- the need for regulatory tools to find new human resources,
- the role of the selected reserve,
- the introduction of incentive mechanisms to attract technical skills,
- the prospect of a possible increase in missions abroad.
According to Crosetto, fully professional armed forces are needed, but integrated with specialized skills also from the civilian sector, especially in the most advanced technological domains.
Towards a comprehensive reform of the Defense system
The minister announced that at the beginning of 2026 he intends to present to Parliament a comprehensive proposal for reforming the military instrument:
«There is a need for an efficient and effective tool, capable of adapting to sudden changes that make it impossible to predict future threats. It's time to redefine the framework of our Defense».
A reform that, according to the ministry's intentions, will need to deeply update the structure, operational capabilities, and available technologies, in light of new geopolitical challenges and the acceleration of the aerospace domain.
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