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France MBDA
VL MICA
A French vertically-launched short-range air-defense system adapting the air-launched MICA missile for ground and naval point defense. It offers a choice of infrared or active radar-guided rounds fired from the same launcher.
In service since 2000 · 6 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
20
km range
9,000
m altitude
6
targets
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Established · 6 operators
In service since 2000. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 3 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 20 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 9,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 6 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | MICA IR / MICA EM interceptor missile |
|---|---|
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 12 kg |
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Imaging infrared homing, Active radar homing |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Ground/naval surveillance radar (installation-dependent) |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Fire-control datalink |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 6 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the engagement range of the MBDA VL MICA? +
The MBDA VL MICA has a maximum engagement range of 20 km.
What is the main armament of the MBDA VL MICA? +
The MBDA VL MICA's primary weapon is the MICA IR / MICA EM interceptor missile.
What is the MBDA VL MICA used for? +
The MBDA VL MICA is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the MBDA VL MICA? +
The MBDA VL MICA is operated by 6 countries.
How much does the MBDA VL MICA cost? +
MBDA VL MICA: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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