France boosts air defence with €600m investment in new systems
France will allocate €600 million to air defence from 2024 to 2030. The focus is on the lower tier of defence, which includes the VL MICA and Serval systems. Here's a look at their capabilities.
In the coming years, France plans to purchase eight VL MICA system launchers for the Air and Space Force (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace), two VBMR Serval systems for the Army (Armée de Terre), and Simbad RC (remotely controlled Mistral-3 missile launchers) for the Navy (Marine Nationale).
The VL MICA launchers will prove particularly beneficial for France, filling the gap left by delivering Crotale NG systems to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the VBMR Serval systems offer a versatile solution for defending mobile columns against drones or helicopters.
VL MICA system — short-range versatility
The VL MICA systems, first tested in 2008, use air-to-air missiles comparable to NASAMS. These systems feature distinct MICA missiles, which function between short and medium ranges. They are available in two guidance versions: a radar-guided head and an electro-optical head that visualises the target's thermal image. MICA missiles also have a communication link to maintain contact with the aircraft or launcher.
Their range is about 60 to 80 kilometres when used at high altitudes. However, when launched from the ground or water surface, where the air density is greater, the effective range drops to 20 kilometres, similar to the AIM-120C AMRAAM. The maximum altitude for targeting MICA missiles, which have a 12-kilogram directional fragmentation warhead and a proximity fuse, is 10 kilometres.
A unique feature of MICA missiles is their ability to passively target without radar emissions if the missile receives target data without using radar. This applies to the IR variant.
The French also praise the missiles' vertical launch capability, which allows using simple container launchers holding four missiles. Two soldiers can reload the rockets in 15 minutes, and the entire system can be deployed or retracted in 10 minutes.
VLTP P Serval — a powerful firepower package in a compact form as the last line of defence
The Serval systems acquired under the VLTP-P programme are armoured 4x4 vehicles equipped with a powerful unmanned turret armed with a 30 mm cannon and several Mistral-3 missile launchers.
When fitted with programmable ammunition, this combination can confront drones or cruise missiles at distances of 1.5 to 2.5 kilometres. A five-shot series costs approximately €5,000, and each missile has a shrapnel radius of 5 metres.
For longer distances of up to 8 kilometres and altitudes of up to 5 kilometres, Mistral-3 missiles will be employed. They travel at a speed of 2.71 Mach (approximately 930 metres per second) and destroy the target with a fragmentation warhead weighing around 3 kilograms, guided by an electro-optical head that detects the thermal image of the target.
