The project analyzed the strategic, political, economic, technological and industrial implications of Italy's participation in the anti-ballistic missile defence programs proposed by the US and NATO. The American decision to base some components of its antimissile system on European territory opened a heated debate, especially at the political and strategic levels. NATO, for its part, is developing its own approach to the problem of area and theatre defence, to which Italy is already committed through international programs such as MEADS. The study aimed to broaden knowledge of the basic elements of the programs and Italian actors' positions on the subject, stimulating a thorough debate among the various institutional, military and industrial stakeholders.