France Awards Contract to Upgrade MICA Missiles

Modernization of the Missiles d’Interception, de Combat et d’Autodéfense (MICA)

A French Navy Rafale M naval fighter armed with both variants of the MICA medium-range missiles: IR-guided on the outboard pylons and radar-guided on the inside, as well as two fuselage-mounted Meteor missiles flanking an Apache cruise missile (FRAF photo)

PARIS --- Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, on July 24th chaired a meeting the Ministerial Investment Committee, after which she launched the program to implement the weapons program "MICA new generation" (MICA NG). This missile program will renew the medium-range interception, close combat and self-protection capabilities of the Mirage 2000 and Rafale combat aircraft of the Air Force and Navy.

These MICA NG missiles will replace the current MICA, whose gradual withdrawal of service is expected between 2018 and 2030. The performance of the new missile will be able to cope with the evolution of threats and protections, to ensure the protection of the national territory, the acquisition and maintenance of air superiority and the protection of air raids. These missiles are developed in two versions - infrared (IR) and electromagnetic (EM) - and delivered between 2026 and 2031.

Its innovations in the areas of self-propelling and propulsion, its ground-to-air capabilities through the VL MICA version and its resilience to ITAR standards will give MICA NG a strong export potential.

These export prospects were taken into account in the contractual negotiation to better distribute the financing efforts and the expected benefits. Thus, a very significant share of missile development costs are borne by the manufacturers holding this contract (MBDA, Safran and Thales).

In addition, the acquisition contract provides for royalties for the State, as well as a mechanism to reduce the price of missiles purchased by France in the event of achieving export targets.

For France, exports are an integral part of the economic model of its sovereignty by allowing its BITD (Technology and Defense Industrial Base) to retain its capacity to cover the whole spectrum of critical technologies. The Armed Forces Ministry stands alongside French industrialists via a vigorous policy of support, while waiting for a fair return for the public finances of the effort made by the State.

The systematic consideration of this leverage in contractual negotiations is an emblematic axis of the expected improvements of the reform of the DGA (Directorate General of Armament) desired by the Armed Forces Minister, announced on July 5, 2018.

Its application in the negotiations of the "MICA NG", the first weapons program launched under the 2019-2025 LPM (Military Program Law), promulgated on July 13 by the President of the Republic, implements the rebalancing of defense / industry relations as supported by the Armed Forces Minister.

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