On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Italian company Leonardo unveiled the new Hystrix 76 ADS air defense system, developed on the basis of the proven OTO Melara 76/62 naval artillery systems and designed specifically to counter uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS).
Image: Leonardo
At the same time, the growing demand for further development of air defense capabilities has prompted Leonardo to introduce Michelangelo Dome, a modular, scalable, and integrated defense solution with an open architecture, unveiled in late November 2025. The system is based on a C5 architecture combined with multiple sensors and effectors, forming an initial modular protective layer in which hostile threats are neutralized using point-defense measures (Leonardo Unveils the Michelangelo Dome).
Now, during a briefing at Leonardo’s production facilities in Brescia, northern Italy, the company outlined plans to adapt naval artillery technologies for land applications; the systems can be deployed in either static or mobile configurations. This new family of ground-based systems has been named Hystrix, which in Latin means “hedgehog.”
The first artillery element derived from naval guns is the Hystrix 76 ADS (Air Defense System). The longer-range version uses Leonardo’s widely deployed 76/62 mm naval gun, specifically the SP (SovraPonte) variant, designed for fully above-deck installation, making it well suited for the development of a land-based system, including trailer-mounted configurations. Leonardo confirmed that a prototype of the trailer-mounted Hystrix 76 ADS will be completed before the end of the year.
Current development renderings depict a two-axle platform trailer fitted with four hydraulic stabilizers and a forward platform over the drawbar. The gun is mounted just ahead of the front axle, while the forward platform supports a container housing fire-control electronics, communications equipment for integration with command-and-control networks, and a power generator. A standard container (approximately 3 m) is currently used, although engineers are working to reduce its size, weight, and volume.
The system is fully remotely operated. Fire missions are transmitted via a two-way data link from the command center, while real-time feedback on system status and ammunition levels is sent back, enabling the C2 architecture to dynamically allocate tasks. This allows the guns to remain on standby in the field without the need for local operators.
Hystrix 76 ADS provides full 360° turret rotation and a gun elevation range from –5° to +85°. It features a dual-feed system with a ready magazine of 36 rounds. The 76/62 mm gun supports a wide range of ammunition types optimized for air defense, including:
- HE-PF-IM6-OES rounds with a programmable 3AP multifunction fuze;
- HE-MOMA1 (Multirole OTO Munition) rounds with a 4AP fuze;
- Vulcano 76 BER guided ammunition with an MFF BER fuze;
- DART guided projectiles with an in-air programmable MFF Dart fuze.
Two additional munitions are nearing completion: Vulcano 76 GL IR with an infrared seeker and Vulcano 76 GLR SAL with a semi-active laser seeker.
To fire DART ammunition, the system requires the Davide guidance kit. Leonardo is currently developing an enhanced version known as Davide Plus, which will provide both missile guidance and target tracking, enabling the guns to operate as standalone effectors once initial engagement data are received from the command center.
Leonardo stated that existing ammunition has already demonstrated high effectiveness against uncrewed aerial vehicles. During the Brescia presentation, data were shown on engagement ranges for 76 mm MOMA1 and DART rounds. Although the effectiveness of proximity fuzes against very small drones has sometimes been questioned, Leonardo confirmed successful trials at the Italian Navy’s La Spezia test range, where a 4AP fuze operating in proximity mode detonated at distances of 2–3 m from a Class 1 drone.
Company representatives emphasized that detecting small UAVs remains a greater challenge than destroying them. In this context, the new Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR), a multifunction AESA radar operating in the C-band and using gallium nitride (GaN) technology with transmitter-receiver modules (TRMs), reportedly performed very well during demonstrations. Moreover, the blast effect of a single 76 mm round can neutralize multiple drones in a swarm scenario, although the caliber may be excessive for certain classes of small UAVs.
In its standard configuration, Hystrix 76 ADS is primarily intended for static or mobile deployment, mounted on trailers or heavy vehicle platforms. With an unladen weight of approximately 7,000 kg and an additional 900 kg when fully loaded with ammunition (assuming an average projectile mass of 12.5 kg), it is not considered suitable for fully mobile platforms.
To meet mobility requirements, Leonardo has initiated work on a lighter system: Hystrix 76 ADS Light. Weighing under 4,000 kg, this variant retains the same gun elevation range but has a reduced rate of fire of 100 rounds per minute and carries just over 40 rounds – equivalent to around 500 kg of ammunition, with final capacity still being refined.
The lightweight system makes extensive use of existing components:
- the loading tray, breech, transfer assemblies, and cradle interfaces are derived from the 76/62 Compact gun;
- the barrel and recoil system are taken from the 76/62 Super Rapid (SP);
- the ammunition-handling architecture comes from the 76/62 SR (Super Rapido) DF/MF configuration;
- the turret traverse bearing is sourced from the land-based Hitfact MkII turret, typically armed with 105 mm or 120 mm guns.
Press release