The second development firing of a MICA NG air-to-air missile (New Generation Missile for Interception, Combat, and Self-Defence) has successfully been made from a Rafale. Conducted for the first time in supersonic flight configuration, this firing took place at the DGA Missile Testing Centre’s Mediterranean site. It is a major step towards the missile’s qualification and  integration with the Rafale since the first development shot from a Rafale which took place in June 2025.

Conducted in collaboration with the teams of MBDA, DGA, Dassault Aviation, and the French Air and Space Force, this firing was made under highly demanding operational conditions. It successfully evaluated the performance of the MICA NG's infrared seeker in a supersonic flight context, thereby validating its capabilities to handle all types of current and future threats.

Tests conducted in a demanding environment

This firing successfully validated the full deployment chain of the infrared version of the missile, particularly its seeker, even in extremely challenging flight conditions and high temperatures. The seeker is a system used by the missile to automatically correct its trajectory based on the information it receives. In its infrared version, it uses the infrared radiation emitted by the target. In a supersonic flight configuration of the Rafale, at faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1), the MICA NG and its infrared seeker are subjected to a higher ambient temperature.

The higher this temperature, the lower the contrast between the target of interest and the background of the image, and the more difficult it will be for the seeker to detect it. This test validated the capabilities of the MICA NG's infrared seeker under these conditions.

A missile with enhanced characteristics for modern air combat

Thanks to MBDA’s focus on innovation, the MICA NG is equipped with advanced technologies that enable it to address high performance future threats that will be faster and  more stealthy. This enhances France's capability to maintain its operational superiority in contested and high-intensity airspaces. In addition to the usual targets covered by air-to-air missiles (aircraft, helicopters), the MICA NG extends its capabilities to targets characterised by very low infrared and electromagnetic signatures, such as drones, stealth fighters, and highly maneuverable cruise missiles.

The MICA NG will therefore ensure interception, close combat, and self-defence capabilities for fighter aircraft to maintain air superiority, as well as for ships and areas of terrestrial interest in its VL MICA NG version.