MBDA MICA

The 'MBDA MICA' (''Missile d’interception et de combat aérien'', “Interception and Aerial Combat Missile”) is an anti-air multi-target, all weather, fire-and-forget missile system. It is intended for use both by air platforms as individual missiles as well as ground units and ships, which can be equipped with the rapid fire MICA Vertical Launch System. It is fitted with a thrust vector control (TVC) system.
It was developed from 1982 onward by Matra. The first trials occurred in 1991, and the missile was commissioned in 1996 to equip the Rafale and Mirage 2000. It is a replacement for both Super 530 (interception) and Magic II (dogfight). Two can be fired in a two-second interval.

Contents

Variants

Operators

See also

External links

Variants

Two seeker types are available for the MICA, one with active radar homing ('MICA RF', also commonly called 'MICA AR') and the other with imaging infrared homing ('MICA IR'). Both missiles are able to filter out countermeasures. They can also lock on both before and after launch.
The MICA can be employed as a short-range surface-to-air missile, currently available fired from a truck-mounted box launcher. This system is known as 'VL MICA SHORAD'.

Operators

★ : French Air Force and French Navy

★ : Hellenic Air Force

★ : Qatar Air Force

★ : Republic of China Air Force

★ : United Arab Emirates Air Force
Future possible operators: Morocco is upgrading its Mirage F1 fleet to operate the mica and India could retrofit its Mirage 2000C to use this missile as well.

See also

★ AIM-132 ASRAAM

★ AIM-120 AMRAAM

★ IRIS-T

★ AIM-9 Sidewinder

★ R550 Magic

★ List of missiles

External links

★ MBDA MICA page

★ army-technology.com