{"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":"2026-06-25T12:05:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T10:05:49","slug":"mica-ng-first-supersonic-launch-rafale-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/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<p>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 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 data-opt-id=1708621896  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:Y2ZE.c177\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/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<!-- 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. 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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\/jetflights\/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\/jetflights\/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>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 survive. This time, [&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 v27.9 - 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. 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