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Home» News»Egyptian Navy is the Launch Customer for MBDA’s VL MICA NG
VL Mica firing at CELM

Egyptian Navy is the Launch Customer for MBDA’s VL MICA NG

MBDA has been awarded a contract from the Egyptian Navy for the VL MICA NG (New Generation) air defence system to equip its Egyptian corvettes.

Xavier Vavasseur 23 Feb 2021

MBDA press release

Officially launched in October 2020, the 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.

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.”



Eric Béranger, MBDA CEO,

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.
-End-

Naval News comments:

VL MICA NG was unveiled during Euronaval 2020. The main evolution of the MICA NG compared to the existing MICA are:

  • Extension of the motor with the addition of a second pulse (max Interception range increased to 40 km, similar to the reference on the market: Raytheon’s ESSM).
  • Compression of other equipment
  • Introduction of latest technologies such as dual pulse motor, AESA RF seeker and FPA IIR seeker

The MICA NG missile will be available in series production from 2026. During a video interview recorded for Euronaval in October 2020, Stefano Bertuzzi, Head of Naval Systems at MBDA confirmed at the time that MBDA already had an undisclosed launch customer for the new missile. The company now officially announced that this launch customer is the Egyptian Navy, for the Gowind corvettes built by Naval Group and Alexandria shipyard.

Naval News understands that in addition to the Gowind corvettes, the VL MICA NG will also be fitted aboard the German-designed MEKO A-200 frigates (4+2 on option following a deal signed with TKMS, with one frigate to be built locally) in a 2×16 launchers configuration.

Egypt Egyptian Navy MBDA VL MICA NG 2021-02-23
Tags Egypt Egyptian Navy MBDA VL MICA NG
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Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

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