Description
There are two MICA variants; MICA RF has an active radar homing seeker and MICA IR has an imaging infra-red homing seeker. Both seekers are designed to filter out counter-measures such as chaff and decoy flares. A thrust vector control unit fitted to the rocket motor increases the missile's agility. The missile is capable of lock-on after launch (LOAL) which means it is capable of engaging targets outside its seeker's at-launch acquisition range. Mounted on the Rafale, the MICA IR can provide IR imagery to the central data processing system, thus acting as an extra sensor.
MICA can also be employed as a short-range surface-to-air missile. It is available in a ground-based version, VL MICA, fired from a truck-mounted box launcher, and a naval version, VL MICA-M, fired from a ship-fitted vertical launch system. On October 23, 2008, 15:30, at CELM, Biscarosse (Landes), a VL MICA missile successfully performed the last of its 14 test firings meaning it is now ready for mass production. The target drone was flying at low level, over the sea, 12 km away; despite this distance (roughly twice the range of Sea Wolf), MICA, equipped with an active radar seeker, locked on the target and shot it down. Corvettes too small to have the big and costly Aster missile systems will be the best customer for the VL MICA-M, that basically is an Aster without its booster and PIF-PAF vectorial control (as an example, the diameter and radar are roughly the same in both Mica and Aster).
The Armée de l'Air received its first MICA batch in the 1990s with its 37 Mirage 2000-5. The French Air Force and Navy have ordered a total of 1110 MICAs, divided equally between RF and IR versions; 1000 missiles had been delivered by November 2010. MICA is also offered for export, the first sale was made to Taiwan in 1992 when the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) ordered some 960 missiles in both RF and IR versions to arm its new Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. The Indian Air Force also ordered 490 MICA IR and MICA RF missiles for its upgraded Mirage 2000H multi role fighters. The Indian Air Force is also likely to order large numbers of MICA missiles for the Rafale fighter jet, which it selected for purchase through its MRCA competition.
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