Home Sea Leonardo support Italian Navy at Formidable Shield 2025

NATO Ship Formation for PHOTEX As seen from on board HMS Defender, NATO ships form up in order to conduct a PHOTEX including a fly-over by the French Air Force during Formidable Shield 23 in the North Atlantic. Formidable Shield is a NATO joint exercise with 2023 seeing allied fleets working together in the North Atlantic from the United States, Canada, France, Netherlands, Italy and the UK. HMS Defender is a type 45 destroyer air defence ship. Defender and her crew have been engaged on operations over the past 3 years, covering 4 major Oceans and most of the world's seas. Assisted by her Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron, the Portsmouth based destroyer will shortly be conducting NATO's major Formidable Shield 23 exercise in the North Atlantic, where the ship ship will work with the UK's allies showcasing the Type 45 destroyer as one of the world's best air defence ships.

Leonardo support Italian Navy at Formidable Shield 2025

August 12, 2025

Leonardo’s advanced naval sensors and command systems were deployed aboard the Italian Navy’s Giovanni delle Bande Nere during NATO’s Formidable Shield 2025 exercise, where they demonstrated integrated air and missile defence capabilities alongside Allied forces, according to a company press release.

The Giovanni delle Bande Nere, the first of Italy’s PPA “full” configuration multi-purpose combat ships, used Leonardo’s SADOC 4 command-and-control system and Dual Band Radar to detect and track a range of ballistic, aerial and surface threats in a live-fire environment. These systems operated in close coordination with NATO assets, contributing to joint situational awareness and multi-domain defence.

Formidable Shield, led by U.S. Sixth Fleet and conducted by NATO’s STRIKFORNATO command, is held biennially and focuses on Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) across Allied naval forces. The 2025 edition included simulated and live engagements against advanced aerial and missile threats.

According to Leonardo, SADOC 4 functioned as the ship’s central decision-making system, integrating human-machine interfaces designed to accelerate command processes and enhance operator responsiveness. “SADOC 4 integrates advanced technologies based on the continuous evolution of interaction between man and machine… simplifying tasks and reducing decision-making times,” the company stated.

The Dual Band Radar, also developed by Leonardo, was used to detect and track both airborne and ballistic targets. Its configuration allows for 360-degree surveillance, target tracking, fire control, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously. During the exercise, the system identified and maintained tracks on short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, sharing data across NATO networks via tactical links.

Leonardo reported that the radar system “initialised tracking within seconds of launch and accurately tracked ballistic missiles for hundreds of kilometres, even at supersonic speeds.” The ship also acted as a forward observer, autonomously detecting and disseminating missile launch data in real time.

The Italian Navy was recognised during the final forum of the exercise for its high level of IAMD capability, particularly for its ability to integrate effectively with NATO systems, including those of the U.S. Navy, say the firm.