MBDA is set to develop a maintenance, repair, and mid-life overhaul (MRO) facility for MICA missiles in India, following a signed agreement with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The European missile maker will provide industrial machinery, tools, data packages, training, and technical support, while the IAF is responsible for establishing, operating, and maintaining the facility.
The hub is intended to support India’s domestic defense sustainment effort and improve turnaround times for the IAF’s MICA air-to-air missiles in service.
This arrangement is in line with New Delhi’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India), the country’s initiative to develop domestic capabilities in defense and other strategic sectors instead of relying heavily on foreign suppliers.
MICA Missiles
MICA, which stands for Missile d’Interception, de Combat et d’Autodéfense, is integrated into the IAF’s Rafale and upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jets — both manufactured by French company Dassault.
After entering service with the IAF in 2016, the multi-mission missiles are used for air dominance roles through beyond-visual-range and close-range engagements.
MICA also comes in two variants: RF MICA with an active radar seeker for all-weather operations, and the IR MICA with an imaging infrared seeker that detects heat signatures.
Each missile measures 3.1 meters (10.2 feet) long with a diameter of 160 millimeters (6.3 inches) and weighs 112 kilograms (247 pounds).
MBDA is currently developing an upgraded variant, the MICA NG (New Generation).
