Francis Tusa:
Interesting article by @MCABIROL: stocks of MICA AAMs running low not just in UAE (and Jordan..?), but also in France.
MoD/DGA not happy that @MBDAGroup has not upped MICA production - the latter says, "where's the contract?"
UK the same with ASRAAM?
https://www-latribune-fr.translate.g...x_tr_hist=true
Middle East conflict: Paris missile crisis
The high consumption of MICA air-to-air missiles by French Air Force Rafale pilots to intercept Iranian Shahed drones over the United Arab Emirates is creating significant tension in Paris. The Prime Minister has called a crisis meeting for Tuesday to find solutions to maintain long-term capabilities.
In the skies over the United Arab Emirates (UAE), French Rafale fighter jets are working tirelessly to neutralize missiles and drones launched by Tehran that are striking this Middle Eastern country, located across the border from Iran, as well as American interests based in the emirate.
Under the defense agreements signed between Abu Dhabi and Paris, France is therefore legitimately providing assistance to the UAE. For the past two weeks, French Rafale pilots have intercepted dozens of Shahed drones by firing MICA air-to-air missiles with a very high success rate.
"We have mobilized a number of Rafale aircraft and airborne air defense and radar systems to assist our Gulf partners affected by Iranian attacks ," diplomatic sources cautiously stated.
But beyond the undeniable expertise of the French army, there is a problem. A very big problem, in fact. The stockpile of MICA missiles has dwindled very (too) quickly under the hot UAE sun, despite the much-touted war economy launched more than three years ago by Emmanuel Macron.
While France is helping its grateful Emirati partner as much as it can, this conflict is once again cruelly revealing one of the most glaring vulnerabilities of the French armed forces, including the air force: their stocks of complex munitions are still very limited.
This is the case today with the MICA missiles, manufactured in particular at Selles-Saint-Denis (Loir-et-Cher) by MBDA, a joint venture owned by Airbus (37.5%), the British company BAE Systems (37.5%), and the Italian company Leonardo (25%).
Crisis meeting at Matignon
This situation in the UAE is putting the entire Ministry of the Armed Forces and beyond under strain. It's generating some friction and considerable bad faith between the Joint Chiefs of Staff (EMA) and the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), as well as between the Ministry of the Armed Forces and MBDA, which has delivery delays of nearly two years for additional MICA missiles.
The Prime Minister, who previously served as Minister of the Armed Forces and was responsible for the war economy, has decided to get involved. According to multiple sources, Sébastien Lecornu convened all these tense individuals for a crisis meeting on Tuesday at Matignon to find long-term capability solutions.