MBDA is preparing to establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) facility for MICA missiles in India after signing an agreement with the Indian Air Force.
Under the deal, MBDA will supply industrial equipment, tooling, technical documentation, training, and engineering assistance, while the IAF will handle the setup, operation, and long-term maintenance of the facility.
The upcoming MRO center is expected to strengthen India’s indigenous defense sustainment capabilities and reduce servicing turnaround time for the IAF’s MICA air-to-air missile inventory.
The initiative also aligns with New Delhi’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) vision, which focuses on expanding domestic defense manufacturing and reducing dependence on overseas suppliers.
The MICA — short for Missile d’Interception, de Combat et d’Autodéfense — equips the IAF’s Dassault Rafale and upgraded Dassault Mirage 2000 fleets, both produced by Dassault Aviation. Since entering Indian service in 2016, the missile has been employed in both beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat and close-range air superiority missions.
The weapon is available in two versions: the RF MICA fitted with an active radar seeker for all-weather engagements, and the IR MICA equipped with an imaging infrared seeker designed to track heat signatures.
Each missile is 3.1 meters long, has a 160-millimeter diameter, and weighs approximately 112 kilograms. MBDA is also advancing development of the next-generation MICA NG variant.
