Breaking News: New French MICA NG air-to-air missile trial from Rafale fighter jet shows extended range and advanced seeker tech
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
According to information published by the French DGA (French Defence Procurement Agency), on 19 June 2025, France conducted the first development firing of the new-generation MICA NG (New Generation Interception, Combat and Self-Defense Missile) air-to-air missile from a Rafale test aircraft. The live-fire test, carried out over the Mediterranean Sea test range, validated the complete operational chain of the infrared-seeker variant. The exercise confirmed flawless integration and performance of the missile under real flight conditions, marking a key step toward qualification and serial production.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A French Rafale fighter jet launches the new MICA NG air-to-air missile during a successful test firing, demonstrating extended range and enhanced seeker capability. (Picture source: French MoD)
Technically, the MICA NG builds on the proven MICA legacy while offering state-of-the-art enhancements. Measuring 3.10 m in length, 160 mm in diameter, and weighing approximately 112 kg, it is fully compatible with existing launch rails and vertical launch systems. Its dual-mode seeker architecture comprises an imaging infrared sensor equipped with dual-band matrix detectors for heightened sensitivity and resistance to counter-countermeasures, paired with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) RF seeker suited for all-weather and beyond-visual-range engagement.
The guidance suite of new MICA NG features an inertial navigation system supported by two-way data-link allowing Lock-On-After-Launch, followed by terminal homing using the most appropriate seeker. A compact electronics package enables the bi-pulse solid rocket motor, which delivers a second thrust phase extending engagement range to 60-80 km in air-launched scenarios (around 40 km in surface launches), sustaining speeds above Mach 4 and executing high-g manoeuvres in excess of 50 g. Thrust-vector control and elongated aerodynamic surfaces enhance flight stability and agility throughout all flight phases. Its warhead employs a focused fragmentation design with proximity or direct-impact fuses, complemented by an integrated health-monitoring system to optimise logistics and reduce lifecycle costs.
Compared to the current generation of French air-to-air missiles, notably the legacy MICA and the older Magic II, the MICA NG introduces major advancements in range, seeker technology, and engagement flexibility. While the standard MICA offers effective medium-range interception with infrared or radar-guided variants, the MICA NG integrates a completely new dual-seeker architecture with cutting-edge imaging infrared and AESA radar capabilities. Its bi-pulse rocket motor provides significantly greater reach—extending well beyond the 40 km range of the current MICA—and maintains high energy for terminal manoeuvres. Additionally, the NG version features enhanced electronic resilience, improved target discrimination, and mid-course data-link guidance, allowing it to outperform its predecessors in contested and electronic warfare environments. This positions the MICA NG as a key enabler of next-generation air dominance for both the French Air and Space Force and the French Navy.
Tactically, MICA NG represents a paradigm shift for French air combat operations. It offers a fire-and-forget capability that synchronises seamlessly with the mission systems of Rafale and Mirage 2000D platforms, enabling pilots to engage multiple threats in high-intensity environments without the need for mid-course guidance. The dual-seeker setup ensures engagement flexibility across a wide range of target profiles, from stealthy drones and cruise missiles to fast jets, while simplifying logistics by standardising missile variants. Its advanced manoeuvrability and extended range will enhance France’s interceptor umbrella, permit deep defensive posture, and support dynamic engagement tactics, whether in pair-up sorties, stealth escort missions, or air-defence patrols.
The development and deployment of the MICA NG also come at a time when France faces growing strategic and operational pressure across multiple domains. The resurgence of high-intensity warfare in Europe, particularly with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increasing Russian military assertiveness, demands readiness for modern peer-level threats. Simultaneously, France’s enduring military presence in the Sahel, the Middle East, and overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific forces its air and naval forces to maintain high levels of reactivity in diverse, unpredictable environments. The rise of drone swarms, stealth fighters, and long-range precision strike capabilities by state and non-state actors alike challenges France’s ability to maintain air superiority. The MICA NG, with its next-generation guidance and engagement capabilities, directly responds to these threats by offering a scalable solution suitable for both homeland defence and power projection.
Crucially, MICA NG is intended not only for the French Air and Space Force but also for the French Navy, which operates Rafale M carrier-based fighter aircraft from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The missile’s compact design and versatile seeker configuration make it ideally suited for naval operations, where reaction time is limited and hostile platforms may emerge across complex maritime and littoral environments. By equipping both branches with a common, modern missile solution, France is reinforcing interoperability and operational cohesion across its air and naval aviation forces, thereby enhancing national defence resilience and global strike capacity.
Following this development firing, the DGA has scheduled several follow-on shots at varying altitudes, airspeeds, and supersonic profiles to validate full performance across the envelope. Deliveries are expected to begin between 2026 and 2031, with full operational integration on Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft by around 2030, ensuring the French Air and Space Force and French Navy are equipped with a resilient, next-generation air-to-air weapon system capable of addressing tomorrow’s aerial threats in any theatre of operation.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
According to information published by the French DGA (French Defence Procurement Agency), on 19 June 2025, France conducted the first development firing of the new-generation MICA NG (New Generation Interception, Combat and Self-Defense Missile) air-to-air missile from a Rafale test aircraft. The live-fire test, carried out over the Mediterranean Sea test range, validated the complete operational chain of the infrared-seeker variant. The exercise confirmed flawless integration and performance of the missile under real flight conditions, marking a key step toward qualification and serial production.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A French Rafale fighter jet launches the new MICA NG air-to-air missile during a successful test firing, demonstrating extended range and enhanced seeker capability. (Picture source: French MoD)
Technically, the MICA NG builds on the proven MICA legacy while offering state-of-the-art enhancements. Measuring 3.10 m in length, 160 mm in diameter, and weighing approximately 112 kg, it is fully compatible with existing launch rails and vertical launch systems. Its dual-mode seeker architecture comprises an imaging infrared sensor equipped with dual-band matrix detectors for heightened sensitivity and resistance to counter-countermeasures, paired with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) RF seeker suited for all-weather and beyond-visual-range engagement.
The guidance suite of new MICA NG features an inertial navigation system supported by two-way data-link allowing Lock-On-After-Launch, followed by terminal homing using the most appropriate seeker. A compact electronics package enables the bi-pulse solid rocket motor, which delivers a second thrust phase extending engagement range to 60-80 km in air-launched scenarios (around 40 km in surface launches), sustaining speeds above Mach 4 and executing high-g manoeuvres in excess of 50 g. Thrust-vector control and elongated aerodynamic surfaces enhance flight stability and agility throughout all flight phases. Its warhead employs a focused fragmentation design with proximity or direct-impact fuses, complemented by an integrated health-monitoring system to optimise logistics and reduce lifecycle costs.
Compared to the current generation of French air-to-air missiles, notably the legacy MICA and the older Magic II, the MICA NG introduces major advancements in range, seeker technology, and engagement flexibility. While the standard MICA offers effective medium-range interception with infrared or radar-guided variants, the MICA NG integrates a completely new dual-seeker architecture with cutting-edge imaging infrared and AESA radar capabilities. Its bi-pulse rocket motor provides significantly greater reach—extending well beyond the 40 km range of the current MICA—and maintains high energy for terminal manoeuvres. Additionally, the NG version features enhanced electronic resilience, improved target discrimination, and mid-course data-link guidance, allowing it to outperform its predecessors in contested and electronic warfare environments. This positions the MICA NG as a key enabler of next-generation air dominance for both the French Air and Space Force and the French Navy.
Tactically, MICA NG represents a paradigm shift for French air combat operations. It offers a fire-and-forget capability that synchronises seamlessly with the mission systems of Rafale and Mirage 2000D platforms, enabling pilots to engage multiple threats in high-intensity environments without the need for mid-course guidance. The dual-seeker setup ensures engagement flexibility across a wide range of target profiles, from stealthy drones and cruise missiles to fast jets, while simplifying logistics by standardising missile variants. Its advanced manoeuvrability and extended range will enhance France’s interceptor umbrella, permit deep defensive posture, and support dynamic engagement tactics, whether in pair-up sorties, stealth escort missions, or air-defence patrols.
The development and deployment of the MICA NG also come at a time when France faces growing strategic and operational pressure across multiple domains. The resurgence of high-intensity warfare in Europe, particularly with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increasing Russian military assertiveness, demands readiness for modern peer-level threats. Simultaneously, France’s enduring military presence in the Sahel, the Middle East, and overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific forces its air and naval forces to maintain high levels of reactivity in diverse, unpredictable environments. The rise of drone swarms, stealth fighters, and long-range precision strike capabilities by state and non-state actors alike challenges France’s ability to maintain air superiority. The MICA NG, with its next-generation guidance and engagement capabilities, directly responds to these threats by offering a scalable solution suitable for both homeland defence and power projection.
Crucially, MICA NG is intended not only for the French Air and Space Force but also for the French Navy, which operates Rafale M carrier-based fighter aircraft from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The missile’s compact design and versatile seeker configuration make it ideally suited for naval operations, where reaction time is limited and hostile platforms may emerge across complex maritime and littoral environments. By equipping both branches with a common, modern missile solution, France is reinforcing interoperability and operational cohesion across its air and naval aviation forces, thereby enhancing national defence resilience and global strike capacity.
Following this development firing, the DGA has scheduled several follow-on shots at varying altitudes, airspeeds, and supersonic profiles to validate full performance across the envelope. Deliveries are expected to begin between 2026 and 2031, with full operational integration on Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft by around 2030, ensuring the French Air and Space Force and French Navy are equipped with a resilient, next-generation air-to-air weapon system capable of addressing tomorrow’s aerial threats in any theatre of operation.
