{"id":2672918,"date":"2026-06-25T10:57:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T08:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T09:27:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T07:27:29","slug":"mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"France Fires Its New Missile at Supersonic Speed"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\n<\/style>\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\n<\/svg>\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\n  }\n  var CH = [\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\n  ];\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\n  function build(){\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\n    var img = meta('og:image');\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\n    }).join('');\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\n    });\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\n  }\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\n  function act(ch, btn){\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\n      track(ch, placement);\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\n      return;\n    }\n    if (ch === 'native') {\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\n      return;\n    }\n    var target = {\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\n    }[ch];\n    track(ch, placement);\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\n    close();\n  }\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\n  function place(){\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\n  }\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\n})();\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\n\n<p>High over the Mediterranean on 1 June 2026, a French <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/rafale\">Rafale<\/a> pushed past the speed of sound and let a missile go. The moment of separation &mdash; missile leaving the rail of a jet travelling faster than sound &mdash; is one of the most violent things a weapon can be asked to survive. This time, it was the first time the new MICA NG had ever done it from a supersonic Rafale.<\/p>\n<p>It was a development firing, conducted by MBDA with Dassault Aviation and the French Air and Space Force at the DGA missile test range. And it matters far beyond France: the MICA NG is the weapon meant to keep the Rafale lethal for the next two decades, against everything from stealth jets to cruise missiles and drones.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f4f4;border-radius:8px;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#333;font-size:15px;letter-spacing:.3px\">QUICK FACTS<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>What:<\/strong> First launch of the MICA NG air-to-air missile from a Rafale flying supersonic<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>When:<\/strong> 1 June 2026<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Where:<\/strong> DGA Essais de missiles, French Mediterranean test range<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Who:<\/strong> MBDA, Dassault Aviation, French Air and Space Force<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>The missile:<\/strong> 112 kg, dual-pulse motor, up to 40% more range than today&rsquo;s MICA<\/p><p style=\"margin:6px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Two seekers:<\/strong> MICA IR NG (imaging infrared) and MICA EM NG (AESA radar)<\/p><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why a supersonic shot is the hard part<\/h2>\n<p>Firing a missile while the launch aircraft sits at a gentle cruise is one thing. Firing it at supersonic speed is another entirely. The missile&rsquo;s nose and seeker are slammed by aerodynamic heating and brutal airloads the instant it leaves the aircraft. If the seeker loses its lock, or the airframe flexes, the shot is wasted.<\/p>\n<p>That is precisely what this test set out to prove. The launch validated that the missile&rsquo;s imaging infrared seeker could acquire and track its target, that guidance held, and that the airframe took the punishment of a high-speed separation &mdash; the exact conditions a Rafale pilot would face trying to intercept a fast, fleeting threat.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/mbda-mica-missile-under-wing.jpg\" alt=\"MBDA MICA air-to-air missile under a fighter wing\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The MICA NG keeps the same slender airframe as today&rsquo;s MICA, so a Rafale can still carry it on the same rails &mdash; but almost everything inside is new. Photo: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">One missile, two sets of eyes<\/h2>\n<p>The clever part of the MICA family has always been that it comes in two flavours that share an identical body. The MICA IR NG uses an imaging infrared seeker, hunting heat silently without ever switching on a radar &mdash; ideal for ambushing a stealthy target that is listening for radar emissions. The MICA EM NG carries an AESA radar seeker for active, all-weather engagements.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><strong>Short range and long range in one weapon<\/strong><br>A new dual-pulse rocket motor fires in two stages, giving the MICA NG up to 40% more reach than the current MICA while keeping energy in reserve for the end-game against a hard-manoeuvring target. One missile covers both the within-visual-range knife fight and the beyond-visual-range shot.<\/div>\n\n<p>For the Rafale, that flexibility is the whole point. A single weapon type that can be carried in numbers and switched between infrared and radar guidance simplifies the pilot&rsquo;s loadout and the air force&rsquo;s logistics.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A European answer in a missile race<\/h2>\n<p>This was a development shot, not the finish line. More firings will follow at different speeds and altitudes before the MICA NG is fully qualified. But each successful test moves Europe&rsquo;s most widely exported fighter closer to a decisive upgrade &mdash; and, with India and Gulf states weighing huge new Rafale orders, the missile inside the jet is a selling point of its own.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;font-style:italic\">Sources: MBDA; FlightGlobal; Army Recognition; The Defense Post; Aerotime.<\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<!-- mf-faq -->\n\n<div class=\"mf-faq-block\"><style>.mf-faq-block{margin:34px 0}.mf-faq-item:not([open]) .mf-faq-answer{display:none !important}.mf-faq-block h2.mf-faq-h{padding-top:22px;margin-bottom:14px}.mf-faq-item{border:1px solid #e2e8f5;border-radius:8px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff}.mf-faq-item summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:15px 50px 15px 18px;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;position:relative;line-height:1.45;user-select:none}.mf-faq-item summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mf-faq-item summary::after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:18px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);font-size:1.5em;font-weight:400;color:#5C91FF;line-height:1}.mf-faq-item[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mf-faq-item[open] summary{border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f8}.mf-faq-item summary:hover{background:#f5f8ff}.mf-faq-answer{padding:14px 18px;color:#333;line-height:1.6}.mf-faq-answer p{margin:0}<\/style><h2 class=\"mf-faq-h\">Related Questions<\/h2><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What is the MICA NG missile?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MICA NG (New Generation) is a French air-to-air missile made by MBDA to arm the Dassault Rafale. It weighs 112 kg, has a dual-pulse motor giving up to 40% more range than today's MICA, and comes in two versions sharing one airframe: an infrared seeker and a radar seeker.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>How much range does the MICA NG have?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MICA NG offers up to 40% more range than the current MICA, thanks to a new dual-pulse rocket motor that fires in two stages. The second pulse keeps energy in reserve for the end-game against a hard-manoeuvring target, so one missile covers both close-in and beyond-visual-range shots.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What is the difference between the MICA IR NG and MICA EM NG?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>They share an identical body but use different seekers. The MICA IR NG has an imaging-infrared seeker that hunts heat silently without emitting radar \u2014 ideal for ambushing a stealthy target. The MICA EM NG uses an AESA radar seeker for active, all-weather engagements.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Why is firing a missile at supersonic speed difficult?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The instant it leaves the aircraft, the missile's nose and seeker are slammed by aerodynamic heating and violent airloads. If the seeker loses lock or the airframe flexes, the shot is wasted \u2014 which is why a supersonic launch is a critical milestone for any new air-to-air missile.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What aircraft carries the MICA NG missile?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MICA NG arms the Dassault Rafale, France's multirole fighter. Because the new missile keeps the slender airframe of today's MICA, the Rafale can carry it on the same launch rails \u2014 even though almost everything inside the missile is new.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Who makes the MICA NG missile?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MICA NG is built by the European missile maker MBDA, working with Dassault Aviation and the French Air and Space Force. Its first supersonic launch from a Rafale took place on 1 June 2026 at the DGA missile test range.<\/p><\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the MICA NG missile?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MICA NG (New Generation) is a French air-to-air missile made by MBDA to arm the Dassault Rafale. It weighs 112 kg, has a dual-pulse motor giving up to 40% more range than today's MICA, and comes in two versions sharing one airframe: an infrared seeker and a radar seeker.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much range does the MICA NG have?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MICA NG offers up to 40% more range than the current MICA, thanks to a new dual-pulse rocket motor that fires in two stages. The second pulse keeps energy in reserve for the end-game against a hard-manoeuvring target, so one missile covers both close-in and beyond-visual-range shots.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between the MICA IR NG and MICA EM NG?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"They share an identical body but use different seekers. The MICA IR NG has an imaging-infrared seeker that hunts heat silently without emitting radar \u2014 ideal for ambushing a stealthy target. The MICA EM NG uses an AESA radar seeker for active, all-weather engagements.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is firing a missile at supersonic speed difficult?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The instant it leaves the aircraft, the missile's nose and seeker are slammed by aerodynamic heating and violent airloads. If the seeker loses lock or the airframe flexes, the shot is wasted \u2014 which is why a supersonic launch is a critical milestone for any new air-to-air missile.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What aircraft carries the MICA NG missile?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MICA NG arms the Dassault Rafale, France's multirole fighter. Because the new missile keeps the slender airframe of today's MICA, the Rafale can carry it on the same launch rails \u2014 even though almost everything inside the missile is new.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Who makes the MICA NG missile?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MICA NG is built by the European missile maker MBDA, working with Dassault Aviation and the French Air and Space Force. Its first supersonic launch from a Rafale took place on 1 June 2026 at the DGA missile test range.\"}}]}<\/script><!-- \/mf-faq -->\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/france-and-britain-race-to-replace-europes-best-missile\/\">France and Britain Race to Replace Europe&#8217;s Best Missile<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/romania-f16-first-baltic-intercept-il-20m\/\">Romania&#8217;s F-16s Score Their First Baltic Intercept<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story High over the Mediterranean on 1 June 2026, a French Rafale pushed past the speed of sound and let a missile go. The moment of separation &mdash; missile leaving the rail of a jet travelling faster than sound &mdash; is one of the most violent things a weapon can be asked to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":2672854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2672918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Rafale Fires MICA NG Missile at Supersonic Speed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rafale Fires MICA NG Missile at Supersonic Speed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"878\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3\"},\"headline\":\"France Fires Its New Missile at Supersonic Speed\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":946,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"Rafale Fires MICA NG Missile at Supersonic Speed\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":878,\"caption\":\"A French Air and Space Force Dassault Rafale C, the launch platform for the MICA NG missile\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"France Fires Its New Missile at Supersonic Speed\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3\",\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\"},\"description\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy covers French and European aerospace, from Rafale and Airbus to NATO strategy and the continent\u2019s defence industry.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fr\\\/author\\\/fortuneleroy\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Rafale tire un missile MICA NG \u00e0 vitesse supersonique","description":"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"Rafale Fires MICA NG Missile at Supersonic Speed","og_description":"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":878,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3"},"headline":"France Fires Its New Missile at Supersonic Speed","datePublished":"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/"},"wordCount":946,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/","name":"Rafale tire un missile MICA NG \u00e0 vitesse supersonique","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-25T08:57:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-04T07:27:29+00:00","description":"France has fired the new MICA NG air-to-air missile from a supersonic Rafale for the first time. Here is why the test matters for Europe\u2019s top fighter.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/dassault-rafale-c-french-air-force.jpg","width":1280,"height":878,"caption":"A French Air and Space Force Dassault Rafale C, the launch platform for the MICA NG missile"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"France Fires Its New Missile at Supersonic Speed"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - Le magazine de MiGFlug","description":"pour ceux qui s&#039;int\u00e9ressent au pilotage d&#039;avions militaires et aux sujets li\u00e9s \u00e0 l&#039;aviation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3","name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy"},"description":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy couvre l&#039;a\u00e9rospatiale fran\u00e7aise et europ\u00e9enne, du Rafale et d&#039;Airbus \u00e0 la strat\u00e9gie de l&#039;OTAN et \u00e0 l&#039;industrie de d\u00e9fense du continent.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/author\/fortuneleroy\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2672918"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20010980,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672918\/revisions\/20010980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2672854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2672918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2672918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2672918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}