MBDA delivers first refurbished MICA air-to-air missiles

This renewal is part of the contract signed in November 2018 with the manufacturer MBDA, which covers both the pyrotechnic renewal of 300 MICA missiles already delivered to the Armed Forces and the acquisition of 567 new-generation Mica missiles (Mica NG).

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According to the institution’s recent press release, on June 7, 2022, the French Directorate General of Defense Procurement (DGA) received the first batch of 14 refurbished MICA air-to-air missiles, which were taken over by the Service Commun de Munitions (SIMu).

The pyrotechnical renewal of these 300 MICA air-to-air missiles (Missile d’Interception et de Combat Aérien, or Air Interception and Combat Missile), which are already in service with the French Air and Space Force and the French Navy, will enable them to be used until 2030 by all combat aircraft (Rafale in all standards, Mirage 2000-5 and modernized Mirage 2000D).

This operation, which consists of replacing the missile’s pyrotechnical equipment (in particular its propellant), which limits its service life, will ensure a smooth transition of the air-to-air munition fleet until the Mica NG, scheduled for deliveries starting in 2026.

The Mica is the leading French air-to-air missile, providing beyond visual range, short range and self-defense combat capabilities.

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The Mica is available in two versions depending on the installed targeting device, with electromagnetic (EM) seeker head for all-weather interception or infrared (IR) for combat at shorter ranges or self-defense.

The highly maneuverable Mica can be fired at targets behind the aircraft, with a target designation transmitted over the Link 16 link from another aircraft.

The IR version also acts as an additional infrared surveillance sensor, allowing the carrier aircraft to detect heat sources (engines) in flight, as if it were the aircraft’s own sensor.

The ongoing refurbishment program for the Air Force’s Mirage 2000D will provide this aircraft with the capability to operate with Mica IR missiles. This refurbishment will provide the necessary endurance to the equipment used daily by the Air and Space Force (Armée de l´Air et de l´Espace) in the context of its full spectrum of missions and will give it a technological and tactical advantage, particularly in engagements on the eastern flank of Europe.

The pyrotechnical refurbishment, which will affect 300 MICAs, will extend their operational life by at least ten years. According to the Military Programming Act (MPL), 50 refurbished missiles will be delivered in 2022. Subsequent deliveries will be staggered until 2026.