One wonders why the AMRAAM A wasn’t advertised with a 120km range back in the days then, or why R-77-1 has a range in game of 110km that corresponds to the same “max range” phrasing ?
For once we agree, the drag is also quite insane. Aster has the same problem, but even worse. Mistral too
We do not agree on the meaning of that “80+ km”, so that whole paragraph is non sense to me.
All i will say is that such suppositions were made about its range before that source (80+km one) was found. Many suppositions on the Dv as well, some stating it was only 750m/s. We know how that ended.
I suppose one day a source will be found somewhere
Better leave it at that for now. I have a feeling MICA won’t move from its 50km range for a while anyway (not like it’s needed for now)
pretty sure you all forgot about the massive fins, which are giving a lift effect.
by comparison of missiles using similar configuration:
IRIS-T
25km max range (air-air)
diameter: 127mm (frame) 447mm (fins)
length: 2940mm
mass: 87.4kg
peak turn rate: turns of 60G at a rate of 60°/s via thrust vectoring
MICA-EM:
80km max range (Air-Air)
diameter: 160mm (frame) 480mm (fins)
lenght: 3100mm
mass: 112kg
peak turn rate: 100°/sec at 50G via TVC
R-77
Diameters: 200mm (frame) 350mm (fins)
length: 3600mm
mass: 175kg
air-air range: 80km
peak turn rate: 150° per second at 50G via TVC
if we go to compare IRIS-SLS (which is a normal IRIS-T) to MICA-VL (which is a normal MICA EM) then IRIS-SLM
Horizontal range: 12km vs 20km vs 40km
Vertical range: 8km vs 9km vs 20km
Max Speed: 680m/s vs 1020 m/s (mach 3 in VL) vs 1,000 m/s
so if i use your way to understand things out:
IRIS-T and MICA-EM are UFO’s
IRIS-T have less mass, but less impulse, yet it’s able to reach a peak of 60G.
MICA-EM have more mass, and more impulse, yet it’s only able to reach a peak of 50G
but both got similar Aerodynamical configuration, which are pretty similar to the R-77 Configuration (only the guidance fins are differents, as R-77 use grid-fins, which are by definition dragier than the ones we can find on IRIS-T and MICA-EM)
so please remember that Dv alone ain’t going to explain all the aerodynamical effects implied for any missiles evolving under atmospherics conditions.
it’s 12km for IRIS-T SLS MkIII, equipping the EAGLE wheeled vehicule.
Source is from manufacturer (Diehl Defence), when it presented it in Eurosatory 2022
there was a secondary source listed on wikipedia (doesn’t works for me, somehow).
but even some third party websites are quoting on what diehl presented in 2022:
i didn’t based the IRIS-T SLS performances based on in-game informations (same for every other missiles presented there)
To my knowledge the only source which says MICA VL can reach a speed of Mach 3 is a single article written by an Indian think tank (which is a secondary source at best).
In addition, as far as I can see there now seems to be a general consensus that MICA has a Delta-V of 1,000 m/s. That would make it physically impossible to achieve a speed of Mach 3 from a stationary launch (Delta-V is a hypothetical value which ignores drag, so the actual top speed of the missile would be less than 1,000 m/s).
doesn’t give any information on speed, but the ranges are there.
for speed you’ve to go to :
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 nose section of the hull. In the middle part of the missile is a Protac RDTT, equipped with a low smoky blended fuel charge. The engine provides maximum flight speed of VL MICA M=3. The tail part has aerodynamic rudders, engine thrust vector control system unit (SUVT) and data line receiver. SuvT together with the aerodynamic rudders provides maneuvering of the rocket with an overload of 50g at a range of up to 7km and with an overload of 30g at a range of 10km. The combat unit is a 12 kg shrapnel-and-phase directional warhead, the fuse is an active Doppler radar.
