The Egyptian Navy is looking forward to receive the first VL MICA NG (New Generation) air defence system from MBDA to equip its corvettes.
The VL MICA NG system is based on the integration into the existing VL MICA system of the MICA NG (New Generation) antiair missile, which began development in 2018 primarily to equip France’s Rafale combat aircraft. Early this year, Egypt awarded MBDA a contract for an unspecified number of the VL MICA NG (New Generation) air defence system, becoming the first international customer for this new generation missile system.
Officially launched in October 2020, VL MICA NG system is based on the integration of the MICA NG (New Generation) missile into the existing VL MICA point and close area air defence system.
The VL MICA NG system offers improved capabilities to handle atypical targets (UAVs, small aircraft), as well as future threats characterised by increasingly low observable infrared and radio frequency signatures. Additionally, VL MICA NG will be able to intercept ‘conventional targets (aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) at longer distances. Eric Béranger, MBDA CEO, said: “This agreement proves the confidence of our Egyptian customer in our VL MICA family, which 15 armed forces around the world already use for the protection of their
naval and land forces.”
The Egyptian Navy already equips its four Gowind class corvettes, recently procured from the French Naval Group shipyards, with systems from the VL MICA family. The first-of-class was built in Lorient and delivered to Egypt in September 2017. The second of the series built through technology transfer in Alexandria Shipyard and was launched in September 2018, and the country’s first-Egyptian manufactured Gowind-class design frigate was handed over to the navy in January 2021. The warship is one of the four in a 2014 contract worth €1 billion.
The dimensions of the MICA NG munition remain unchanged, allowing it to be integrated into existing VL MICA launchers. The existing missile data link mechanisms are compatible with the increased kinematic performance of the missiles, enabling current VL MICA systems to be upgraded to VL MICA NG standard by simple software updates.
