In a tweet sent on 30 June, the DGA (Direction Générale de l'Armement) announced that it had received, on the previous June 7, a first batch of 14 renovated MICA air-to-air missiles, which were taken care of by the Joint Ammunition Service (SIMu). This renovation is part of the contract notified in November 2018 by the DGA to the industrialist MBDA, covering both the pyrotechnic renovation of 300 Mica already delivered to the forces and the acquisition of 567 new-generation Mica missiles (Mica NG).

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MICAs under a Dassault Rafale fighter (Picture source: French Air and Space Force)

The pyrotechnic renovation of these 300 MICAs already equipped within the Air and Space Force and the French Navy will allow their use until 2030 by all fighter planes (Rafale all standards, Mirage 2000-5, refurbished Mirage 2000D). This operation, which consists of replacing the pyrotechnic equipment of the missile (in particular its propellant) which limits its lifespan, ensures a smooth transition for the air/air ammunition fleet between now and the rise in power of the Mica NG whose deliveries are scheduled to start from 2026.

The work is carried out at MBDA on its Selles-Saint-Denis site with equipment produced by Thales LAS, Roxel and ASB, all located in France.

The Mica is an air-to-air missile that allows close-range self-defense combat and interception beyond direct sight. MICA stands for ‘’missile d'interception de combat et d'autodéfense’’ in French. The Mica comes in two versions depending on the installed seeker, electromagnetic (EM) for all-weather interception or infrared (IR) for covert or self-defense interception. With great maneuverability, the Mica can be fired at targets behind the aircraft thanks to a target designation transmitted by link 16 from another aircraft. The IR version also acts as an additional infrared standby sensor, which notably allows the carrier aircraft to detect heat sources (reactors) in flight. The Mica also has an internal multi-target capability that allows the pilot to shoot a group of nearby targets without the risk that the different MICAs fired will all attack the same target.

The Mica IR and EM missiles arm the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale aircraft of the Air and Space Force, as well as the Rafale aircraft of the French Navy. The renovation program currently underway for the Mirage 2000D of the Air and Space Force will now give this aircraft the ability to implement Mica IR missiles. This renovation allows the necessary resilience of the equipment used daily by the Air and Space Force within the framework of the whole spectrum of its missions and confers a technological and tactical advantage in particular in the engagements on the eastern flank. from Europe.

The pyrotechnic renovation covers 300 missiles. It will extend the life of the Mica by at least ten years. Under the Military Programming Law (LPM), 50 refurbished missiles will be delivered in 2022. The following deliveries will be staggered until 2026.

The Mica NG missile, the successor to the Mica missile, will renew the mid-range interception, close combat and self-protection capability of the Air and Space Force Rafales and the French Navy with increased capabilities. Launched within the framework of the LPM, the Mica NG program provides for a total of 567 missiles, for deliveries from 2026. It will make it possible to maintain a technological advantage in the context of engagements during high-intensity conflicts.

French Rafale armed with MICAs (Picture source: French Air and Space Force)