The MICA, abbreviated from its full name Missile d'Interception, de Combat et d'Auto-défense or alternate translation is a French anti-air multi-target, all weather, fire-and-forget short and medium-range missile system manufactured by MBDA France. It is intended for use both by air platforms as individual missiles as well as ground units and ships, which can be equipped with the rapid fire MICA Vertical Launch System. It is fitted with a thrust vector control (TVC) system. It was developed from 1982 onward by Matra. The first trials occurred in 1991, and the missile was commissioned in 1996 to equip the Rafale and Mirage 2000. It is a replacement for both the Super 530 in the interception role and the Magic II in the dogfighting role.
An air-launched MICA IR on a Dassault Rafale
VL MICA at the Salon du Bourget 2015
Mock-up of a MBDA MICA missile in Taiwan
MBDA is a European multinational developer and manufacturer of missiles. It was created in December 2001 after the merger of the main French, British and Italian missile systems companies; Matra, BAe Dynamics and Alenia. These were previously the missile subsidiaries of Aérospatiale-Matra, BAE Systems and Finmeccanica. The company's headquarters are located in Le Plessis-Robinson, France.
MBDA