MBDA’s VL MICA missile has been successfully operationally fired from the Royal Navy of Oman’s (RNO’s) Al Shamikh Ocean Patrol Vessel (OPV).
The firing took place off the coast of the Ile du Levant in the Mediterranean Sea at the French DGA’s test range under the supervision and control of the DGA-EM.
According to MBDA, the firing saw the VL MICA missile successfully intercept and destroy the target at very low altitude. The target was simulating a sea skimming anti-ship missile.
VL MICA is the latest generation of air defence systems and deploys the MICA missile vertically launched from a canister which serves for both storage and launch purposes. In its naval version, VL MICA provides both area air defence as well as self-defence of the host vessel. MICA fire-and-forget missiles can be equipped with either IR or radar seekers and are capable of dealing with the full range of airborne threats as well as saturating attacks.
The company said the success of this firing is evidence of the operational capability of the RNO with its new vessel and weapon system.
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
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