MICA aircraft missile

The rocket provides a solution to the following problems:

• intercept;
• engaging in long-range air combat outside the visual range of the target (BVR mode - "Beyond Visual Range");
• conducting close maneuverable air combat;
• missile self-defense of carrier aircraft.

MICA rocket is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme and is equipped with a cross-shaped wide chord wing of small elongation. Stabilizer planes with rectangular shape are installed in the forward part of the hull. In the middle part of the missile is a Protac RDTT, equipped with a low smoky blended fuel charge. The RDTT provides a maximum flight speed of M=3.5-4. The rear part of the missile contains aerodynamic rudders, an engine thrust vector control system (IUVT) (see photo) and a data line receiver. SHUT is activated immediately after the missile descends from the launch guide and together with the aerodynamic rudders provides maneuvering of the missile with an overload of up to 50g.

The combat unit is a shrapnel-flagged one, the fuse is an active radar.

For suspension of the missile are wing rail launchers that provide launch with an overload up to 9g, or pneumatic catapult, providing launch from the inner compartments of the carrier (up to 4g). MICA electric connectors and suspension units are compatible with AIM-9, "Super 530" and "Magic" missiles.

A combined control system is used to control the missile: a command-inertial system on the initial section of the trajectory and a homing system on the final section. Depending on the version, the missile can be equipped with an active impulse Doppler Cruise Launcher (MICA EM) or a thermal imaging Cruise Launcher (MICA IR). The MICA can be used in the following modes:

• Launching a target outside of visual sight with the homing head picking up the target from the inertial system and receiving correction commands from the carrier aircraft if the target trajectory changes.
• Target launch out of visual sight, with the homing head picking up the target on a trajectory without using a data line. In this mode, the missile is applied according to the "let-forget" principle, the trajectory on the march section is optimized to achieve maximum range.
• Launch with the capture of the CSS target missile on the suspension of the aircraft carrier information from the sighting systems of the carrier, the carrier after launch - an autonomous.
• Launch with the capture of a visually observable target CSS missiles on an aircraft carrier suspension using a helmet-mounted target designation system (NLC).

In the homing area, the MICA EM missile is controlled by the AD4A (12-18 GHz) Active Pulse-Doppler SOS developed by Dassault Electronique and GEC-Marconi. The AD4A is capable of independently capturing the target on the trajectory and ensures the engagement of targets from any direction, at all angles, day and night, in simple and difficult weather conditions, in conditions of intensive radioelectronic counteraction, against the background of the Earth and water surface. The AD4A is placed in the nose section of the missile under a radio-transparent ceramic fairing. The modified version of AD4A is also used as part of the Aster anti-aircraft missile of SAMP-T and PAAMS systems.

Sagem Defense Segurite developed the MICA-IR's 3-5 and 8-12 micrometer band Neutral Thermal Homing Head (THHH). The TGSN contains a sensor matrix installed in the focal plane, an electronic unit for digital signal processing, an integrated cryogenic system for cooling the matrix of closed type. Cooling system of TGSN provides autonomous operation of the receiver within 10 hours. High resolution and complex algorithms allow the TGSN to effectively accompany targets at long distances and to disperse heat traps. TGSN has the ability to capture the target on the trajectory after the launch of the missile, mates with the inertial control system and data line, which allows you to get long range launches and provides the opportunity to use the bearing, superior angles of pumping coordinator. TGSN is built on a digital element base, which allows reprogramming algorithms of work. Pairing with the aircraft according to MIL-STD-1553 standard.

Technical specifications of the TGSN:

• TGS activation time : less than 120s
• pumping angle of the coordinator: ± 60°
• angular velocity of the target sighting line: more than 30 deg/c
• length : 625mm
• diameter : 160mm
• weight : 11kg
• supply voltage : ± 21V
• power consumption : 110W
• operating temperature range: -46° to 71°C