I am aware of the fact that PAF has plan to induct MICA but are they also thinking about VL MICA?
VL MICA
Vertical launch short range air defence system
Operational requirement
Since the mid-nineties, the air threat has intensified. This is due to the increased possibility of saturating attacks, involving a large number of platforms (fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters), as well as to the proliferation of targets with low signatures, especially Precision Guided Missiles, UAVs and cruise missiles.
The new SHOARD weapon systems capable of defeating both the conventional and emerging threats must be able to :
engage several targets simultaneously;
resist to severe EM- or IR countermeasures;
apply a distributed architecture;
have a 360° coverage.
Additionally, new systems must offer low life cycle cost, based on simplified training, operations and maintenance, together with reduced manpower.
The MBDA solution
Vertical Launch Mica is able to respond to all of the requirements off the new generation SHORADS. Based on the recently qualified MICA air-to-air missile, it combines :
multi-target capability provided by its Fire and Forget guidance mode;
very high level of resistance to countermeasures thanks to the possibility to fire missiles fitted either with an active RF or with a passive IIR seeker from the same launcher;
vertical launch with 360° coverage, due to the Thrust Vectoring Control system (TVC);
outstanding manoeuvrability, including a possible 30 g at ranges exceeding 12 km, due to the missiles long chord wings and to the TVC;
easy integration to launching vehicles, made possible by a storage / launch container;
the capability to intercept targets at altitudes in excess of 9000 metres.
The VL Mica ground based system is based on an open, distributed architecture, composed of the following modules :
a 2-man crew, vehicle-mounted launcher, installed on a standard 5-ton class vehicle, which transports and fires 4 missiles,
a radar, which can be any 3-D, track-while-scan system having a range of 50 km, covering altitudes up to 9000 m and fitted with an IFF,
a Tactical Operations Centre (TOC), from which the launchers and the radar are remotely controlled and which performs threat analysis, target assignation and system monitoring.
Status of programme
The two versions of the MICA air-to-air missile (IR and RF) are fully qualified and in mass production, thus eliminating all development-related risk.
The design of the vertical launch container has already been validated through live firings.
