The French Air Force, in collaboration with the French defence procurement agency (DGA), has successfully launched two MICA IR missiles targeting balloons positioned at altitudes surpassing 20km.
The operation aligns with France's strategic focus on 'very high altitude' defence, a concept outlined by Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu during the 2025 Paris Air Show.
This specific zone refers to the airspace ranging from 20km to 100km above Earth's surface.
During the tests that took place on 23 June, MICA IR missiles were fired from a Rafale and a Mirage 2000.
The tests were conducted at the Cazaux air base, with contributions from the French Space Agency CNES, Dassault Aviation, and MBDA.
The firings demonstrated the potential for countering emerging threats in what is considered an increasingly contested domain of warfare.
Military operations within this layer provide a shield against threats originating from that space and serve as a vantage point for action, said MBDA.
The company noted that the atmosphere's upper layers are becoming crowded with espionage and surveillance technologies, including high-endurance balloons and drones, as well as hypersonic weapon systems that pose significant challenges to existing air defence mechanisms.
MBDA's team has leveraged their understanding of threats and their command over piloting, guidance and navigation systems to overcome technological hurdles and achieve engagements at altitudes over 20km.
The company is developing solutions to counteract hypersonic threats at “very” high altitudes.
The Aster 30 B1 missile, a product of Franco-Italian cooperation and already combat-tested, provides an initial layer of defence against certain hypersonic dangers.
Furthermore, MBDA is working on an advanced iteration of the missile, the Aster B1 New Technology (B1NT), which is designed for more advanced threats, ranging from highly agile targets to sophisticated hypersonic weapons.
In October 2024, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation announced the first successful firing of the Aster 30 B1NT missile at a testing site in France.
This next-generation missile will be integrated into the upcoming SAMP/T NG land-based air defence system currently under development for both Italian and French military forces.
Additionally, under the European HYDIS project, MBDA is engineering an endo-atmospheric interceptor aimed at defending large areas from new hypersonic and ballistic threats by engaging them directly at very high altitudes.
This initiative is scheduled to be operational from 2035.
