ROME: "Italy must do more to defend its satellites as space becomes a recognized realm for military operations, Italy’s defense chief of staff has said. “It will be essential to render the protection of satellites more robust,” said Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who warned of an “increase in threats” and “a risk for security” in space. Cavo Dragone was speaking at a Feb. 23 seminar in Rome marking the launch of a new report by an Italian think tank, which urged the Italian government to beef up space defense and keep orbital paths clear of debris.

In the report launched at the seminar, the Rome-based Institute for International Affairs warned: “An attack against a military satellite by itself should be considered in the same category as an attack against a military ship sailing in international waters, and be subject to a similar [Ministry of Defence] response.” Such an attack would also need a “political decision on whether or not [to] invoke the NATO article 5 on collective defence,” the report added.

“The NATO recognition of space as operational domain implies that allies’ armed forces are going to operate in this environment in principle as in other domains, in terms of deterrence and defence as well as broadly speaking of military operations,” the report stated."

https://www.defensenews.com/space/2022/03/04/italys-defense-chief-of-staff-urges-better-protection-of-satellites/