France Concerned About Overspending of MICA Missiles to Intercept Shahed Drones

Paris is concerned about the heavy use of MICA air-to-air missiles to intercept Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East.

La Tribune reported on this.

Over the past two weeks, French pilots flying Dassault Rafale fighter jets have intercepted several dozen Shahed drones.

Due to the active use of these missiles, stockpiles are rapidly decreasing, which could affect the operational readiness of the French Air and Space Force.

The situation in the Middle East has created tensions within the Ministry of the Armed Forces and related institutions.

This has led to disputes and mutual accusations between the Armed Forces General Staff (EMA), the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), and missile manufacturer MBDA, which has a delivery time of almost two years for additional MICA missiles.

Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu has reportedly called a crisis meeting of all parties to seek long-term solutions to strengthen capabilities.

The EMA has criticized the DGA for failing to accelerate the search for alternatives to MICA, including cheaper solutions to intercept low-cost drones such as the Shahed.

For its part, the DGA is reluctant to take risks by supplying the armed forces with systems from new or little-known manufacturers that could prove unreliable or ineffective.

The Ministry of the Armed Forces, in turn, has criticized MBDA for failing to anticipate future orders from the DGA and therefore being unable to speed up deliveries of MICA missiles.

Although the missile manufacturer has already increased production rates, it does not want to produce additional systems without signed contracts.

On March 3, it was reported that France had deployed Dassault Rafale fighter jets to the UAE to protect its military facilities from Iranian attacks.

The decision to intensify patrols was made after one of the drones hit a hangar at a French base in the UAE on Sunday. The French contingent in the country includes hundreds of naval, air, and ground personnel.

Most of the French aviation group is based at Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi. From there, Rafale fighters conduct sorties to intercept Iranian drones that have launched large-scale attacks on U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf region.