MBDA Successfully Tests Upgraded MICA NG Missile for Rafale Fighters

France has successfully tested the upgraded MICA NG (New Generation) air-to-air missile for use with Rafale fighter jets, according to the country’s Directorate General of Armament (DGA).

The test launches took place over the Mediterranean Sea on June 19, 2025, and involved the DGA, missile manufacturer MBDA, aircraft producer Dassault Aviation, and the French Air and Space Force.

The trials demonstrated the missile’s ability to engage aerial targets using its new infrared seeker.

MICA NG is a modernized version of the existing MICA missile, with a significantly more powerful engine, dual-mode seeker (infrared and active radar), upgraded electronics, and enhanced resistance to jamming.

The missile is designed to intercept a wider range of aerial threats — including cruise missiles and UAVs — at greater distances than its predecessor. It supports both lock-on before and after launch, enabling engagement of targets beyond visual range and at high off-boresight angles.

Thanks to its upgraded propulsion, MICA NG can sustain maneuvers above 50g and reach speeds exceeding Mach 4. A key innovation in the active radar version is the use of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna — replacing the traditional slotted array — making it only the second missile in the world to use this technology after Japan’s Type 99 B (AAM-4B).

MBDA has been developing MICA NG since 2018, with full integration into the French Air and Space Force expected from 2026. France has already signed contracts for over 500 missiles.

In addition to being deployed on Rafale fighters, the missile is expected to be adapted for ground-based air defense systems, including VL MICA, enhancing its role in European Integrated Air and Missile Defence System.

As previously reported by Militarnyi, France’s Air and Space Force took delivery of the first two VL MICA batteries in the summer of 2024.