MBDA and IAF Sign MRO Agreement for MICA Missiles

Image by @Grok

MBDA and the IAF have signed an agreement to set up MRO facilities for the MICA missile in India.

Currently, MICA missiles need to be shipped to MBDA for refurbishment. An indigenous capability will save time and reduce costs.

The IAF will operate the MICA MRO facility, undertaking inspection, repair, component replacement, and mid-life upgrades throughout the missiles’ service life, with MBDA providing tools, data packages, training, and support.

Mid-life work on an air-to-air missile typically involves software upgrades, seeker enhancements, renewal of pyrotechnic elements (especially solid rocket propellant), batteries, electronics, and other aging components.

At the 2025 Paris Air Show, MBDA and the Indian company AXISCADES formalized the creation of an industrial unit in Bengaluru dedicated to the manufacture and integration of missile launch systems. The MICA MRO agreement is a progression of that tie-up.

AXISCADES Technologies is a Bengaluru-based Indian multinational company specializing in high-end engineering solutions and technology services. It focuses primarily on Aerospace, Defence, and ESAI (Electronics, Semiconductor, and Artificial Intelligence), delivering end-to-end product lifecycle support — from design and development to manufacturing, assembly, testing, and R&D.

Its current order book includes over ₹600 crore worth of advanced sub-systems for indigenous platforms.

IAF and MBDA MICA

The IAF has operated MICA missiles since 2016, initially with the Mirage 2000 and later with Rafale fighters as well.

The IAF Rafale fleet, which currently comprises two squadrons (36 aircraft), is set to expand with the induction of an additional 114 Rafale fighters under the MRFA program. The MICA MRO agreement will help ensure cost-effective sustainment of the fleet’s combat capability.

MBDA weapon systems currently in use by the IAF include the MICA, Meteor, ASRAAM, and Mistral.