Navy Will Install Air Defence System on Corvettes
The Egyptian Navy is slated to become the first international operator of MBDA’s VL MICA New Generation (NG) surface-to-air system, the company announced on 23 February.
Officially launched in October 2020, VL MICA NG integrates the MICA NG missile and existing VL MICA point and close area air defence system. It offers improved capabilities to handle atypical targets, such as UAS, as well as future threats characterised by increasingly low-observable IR and RF signatures. Additionally, VL MICA NG will be able to intercept more conventional targets (aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) at greater ranges.
The Egyptian Navy has ordered the system to equip its corvettes. Other members of the VL MICA family already equip the service’s four Naval Group GOWIND-class corvettes.
“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,” declared MBDA CEO, Eric Béranger.