SHAH ALAM: Egypt has become the first international customer of the MBDA VL MICA New Generation (NG) air defence system. MBDA on Feb. 23, 2020 announced it has been awarded a contract from the Egyptian Navy to equip the VL MICA NG for its Gowind corvettes.
Launch of a VL MICA from a ship. MBDA
MBDA release:
MBDA has been awarded a contract from the Egyptian Navy for the VL MICA NG (New Generation) air defence system to equip its Egyptian corvettes.
Officially launched in October 2020, the VL MICA NG system is based on the integration of the MICA NG (New Generation) missile into the existing VL MICA point and close area air defence system.
The VL MICA NG system offers improved capabilities to handle atypical targets (UAVs, small aircraft), as well as future threats characterised by increasingly low observable infrared and radio frequency signatures. Additionally, VL MICA NG will be able to intercept ‘conventional’ targets (aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) at longer distances.
Eric Béranger, MBDA CEO, said: “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.”
The Egyptian Navy already equips its four Gowind class corvettes, recently procured from the French Naval Group shipyards, with systems from the VL MICA family.
As mentioned above the Egyptian Navy has four Gowind class corvettes as reported by Malaysian Defence previously. It is likely as our own LCS are completed – when ever that maybe – the RMN will also be procuring the MICA NG for its SAM system.
Malaysian Defence had previously reported that Boustead Naval Shipyard has procured the VL MICA launchers for the LCS programme although the missiles – which need to be purchased by the Defence Ministry – as with the NSM – had yet to be contracted. Lets hope a decision on the LCS will be made soon.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (33)
Considering that the first 2 ships are already in service and only the remainder 2 left to commission, does it mean the lead ships had the old VL MICA while the last 2 will get VL MICA NG?
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No idea really but it is likely all will get the NG
It all part of the master plan.... by the time the LCS are commissioned in 2040, the RMN will be the launch customer for the VL Mica NNG Block 33! 😬
I could be wrong but let's finish the first two ships and let's see from there. I would rather lose 9 billion but got two functional ships rather than lose 6 billion and get nothing at all. The govt could penalise boustead by asking to pay compensation yearly but that is a totally different matter
@Kamal
We have used up RM 6Bil and remainder left RM 3Bil but at now we need another RM 6Bil to finish (topup RM 3Bil). For this overrun RM 3Bil we could make a deal with Boustead to foot half (RM 1.5Bil).
Kamal- “. The govt could penalise boustead by asking to pay compensation yearly but that is a totally different matter”
Yes it’s a different matter. Focus should be on the RMN getting its LCSs ASAP. The RMN needs all 6 as getting a mere 6 will leave it in a very difficult position; operational wise.
Irrespective of the outcome; the taxpayer will pay the penalty. It’s no use penalising BNS if it’s jeopardises its ability to stay afloat; it is the country’s main naval refit yard.
More importantly there has to be a genuine effort and desire to determine how and where things went so wrong and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
It could be if MICA NG doesnt need new silo to operate..But most likely our LCS will be fiitted with old MICA only to avoid any further cost increase..But for further new ships (excluding LCS, if any), please build 1 or 2 early units at original/builder shipyards or else this conundrum will happen again in the future.
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If you read the earlier post you will know that MBDA announced the NG missiles will be compatible with earlier launchers. So there is no issue here. Anyhow when BNS ordered the launchers they purchased for all six ships
So is all the equipments for Lcs already arrived and fully paid for? And where do they store the goods in Malaysia?
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Most of the items contracted by BNS are already here. They should be in the various godowns and warehouses inside BNS
Malaysia second
hopefully la
@ZekMR
I don't even mind us being 5th or whatever comes next as long the new missile have matured and ironed out all issues.
Again let me say this, we cannot be taking the risk and spending money to be early adopters. We should learn from the bests what works, and only get matured platforms and weapons.
A combination of 8mica n 8mica ng for our lcs is pretty OK for me if we want to save cost.
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Huh?