Jump to content

MICA Press Release


Mugatu

Recommended Posts

Pretty impressive test firing, anybody have links to the vids?

 

19th June 2007

MICA FIRING SUCCESS FROM FRENCH AIR FORCE RAFALE

 

On 11th June 2007, MBDA’s MICA multi-mission air-to-air missile successfully destroyed its intended target following launch from an operational French Air Force Rafale F2 aircraft.

 

The firing, part of an ongoing training programme being carried out by French Air Force pilots with MICA, took place at the DGA’s CELM missile launch test facility at Biscarrosse off the south west Atlantic coast of France.

 

For this latest firing, a complex combat scenario was created with a Rafale pilot being chased and threatened by an “enemy aircraft” (actually a C22 drone) approaching at a distance of several nautical miles from its rear sector. A second Rafale, acting as wingman, acquired the target and provided target designation information to the first aircraft via the Link 16 data link.

 

On being launched, MICA carried out an extremely sharp 180° manoeuvre in its inertial guidance phase, a manoeuvre made possible by the missile’s exceptional agility provided by its thrust vector control feature. MICA then advanced towards the designated target which it destroyed. The MICA missile used during this training session was the RF variant, featuring an electromagnetic active seeker.

 

Patrick Tramier, MBDA’s Director of Programmes, said: “This latest success proves MICA’s extreme efficiency in carrying out an out of sector self defence role with target data provided by a support aircraft. It is just one of a series of successful tests within the current training campaign which has shown MICA’s exceptional performance against targets flying at different altitudes and speeds as well as targets carrying out evasive manoeuvres and within a countermeasures environment”.

 

Notes to editors

 

MICA is the multi-mission air-to-air missile system for the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale combat aircraft in both their air force and navy variants. Its high level of tactical flexibility is ideally suited to the latest generation of multi-role / swing role aircraft, providing both intercept and self-defence capabilities.

 

There are two MICA versions, the RF MICA with an electromagnetic active seeker, and the IR MICA with an imaging IR seeker offering tremendous tactical advantages in Beyond Visual Range (BVR) intercepts.

 

MICA is in service with the French Air Force and Navy and has been widely exported.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not quite the Test-Fire Footage you're after, but entertaining nontheless :D

 

French Shoulder-Fired-Missile

Novice or Veteran looking for an alternative MP career?

Click me to commence your Journey of Pillage and Plunder!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

'....And when I get to Heaven, to St Peter I will tell....

One more Soldier reporting Sir, I've served my time in Hell......'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...