Since there is still a bit of uncertainty regarding the next SAM that could come to the next french tree, i thought i would make a thread regarding the best fitting SAM Site for the short to medium range role.
The VL MICA is a quite new system when it comes to its introduction in the french air force (Surface to air activities are attached to the air force in the french forces), only making its first appearence for the Olympics of 2024.
The system made earlier appearences on ships from different navies prior to 2024
The radar
The system revolves around the GM200 radar produced by Thales.
Its basic characteristics are the following :
Range :
250km in surveillance mode (RCS unspecified)
100 km in engagement mode (RCS unspecified)
Band : S per IEEE classification → Would translate to E or F band in game
Elevation : -7°, +70°
Maximum number of tracked targets : unknown
Guidance channels : unknown
Rotation speed : 40 RPM (1.5s refresh rate against engaged targets, 3s in surveillance mode)
Note : It is designed to track drones flying as slow as 15m/s, up to jet fighters, and includes GaN
The launchers
This system is first and foremost a way to recycle air launched MICA Missile (IR or ARH), and as such no modification is made to the missile in its physical form compared to an air launched one. This means there is no foldable wings.
In addition to this, MICA VL is hot launched (the missile starts burning in the canister), resulting in space being used for gases evacuation.
As such, each launcher is limited to 4 missile. Each launcher can be emptied in under 6 seconds.
The missiles
The missile carried is already present in game as the MICA EM, currently carried by Mirage 2000 and Rafale.
The system can carry a mix of MICA EM and/or IR depending on the type of mission.
Fired from the ground, the missile’s characteristics are as follows :
Length : 3.1m
Diameter : 160mm
Wingspan 0.56m
Maximum range : 20km
Maximum altitude of intercept : 9.1km
Maximum overload : 50G, reduced to 30G at 12km
Maximum speed : Mach 3.0
The system will also be able to carry the newer variant, MICA NG IR & EM from 2025 onwards, with an improved range to 40km thanks to a delayed burn. MICA NG will aditionally carry a new IR seeker for the IR version, and an AESA active antennae for the EM version
For more details regarding the missile itself, you can check the associated thread here :
Arguably so lmao, I mean at least we have the ITO but like seriously why didn’t they add this its literally a contemporary peer to the SLM, Spyder, etc
To my understanding the developers wanted to knock out two bird with stone by adding SAMP/T later on to both Italy and France. This would only make sense if SAMP/T can fire Aster-15 which has a ~45-50km range. Problem is it never fired it, and didn’t even fire Aster-30 Block 0, starting instead with Aster-30 Block 1.
While SLM is overall better, MICA VL would have a few advantages namely with MICA EM which can’t be flared frontally nor can it be decoyed by DIRCM. Supposedly SLM also has a problem locking onto bombs/missiles? SLAMRAAM on dev doesn’t have that issue with my testing.
And I believe he’s talking about current SPYDER in-game which is supposed to have Derby and Python 5. MICA EM and MICA IR should overall be better than those two.
Yep, it’s flare resistance will be a good thing, just adding that iirc SLM is still not yet fully configured, so we will have to wait and see how Gaijin handles it in the end, but it will have other issues like MP.
Yep, SLM has problems with targeting payload, but it seems to be intentional by Gaijin, as they were denying reports pointing that out.
In this case yes, VL is better than SR SPYDER.
Gaijin pulling out ASTER gave me a chuckle, untill I realized they were serious.
I also wonder how they will handle the Buk M3.
Not just Spyder but also SLAAMRAM since currently radar missiles can’t hit hovering helis for whatever reason even though the radar sees it and the heli is way above multipath altitude. Since they’re hovering, it’s basically notching the radar. In those situations you can fire MICA IR.
I’m coping that they’ll switch from SAMP/T to MICA VL. Isn’t Buk M3 SARH only? There’s “development” of ARHs but doubt that is enough to have them added into the game.
Yes, Buk is SARH only, so it will have to maintain lock all the way through. But you know, so is PATRIOT. Expect Buk to be a super long range (per game standards) slinger.
If you mean PATRIOT then yes, it has a ARH missile, but earlier were Track-via-missile (so maybe not strictly speaking SARH, but a child between it and CLOS).
I forgot to respond to that.
The search radars work a little differently compared to missile radars in game.
That still should not be the case, as helicopters tend to have a ginormous doppler signature wherever they go, as, you know, they might have a few big objects spinning at hight speeds.
Sadly gaijin refuses to model rotors doppler return, so here we are.
Then I don’t understand how SARH seekers can see a notching target provided there’s enough altitude difference but ARH missiles can’t see a heli with enough altitude difference.
