French Military aviation update and discussion

[Amarante]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083228165158105206

Here's a statistic that should make every air force sit up and take notice. During recent operations over the Persian Gulf and the Levant, French Rafales fired around 100 MICA AAMs against Iranian one-way attack drones. That's close to half of the French Air & Space Force's entire MICA stockpile! Yes, half! It is a stark reminder that in a real war, you don't just fight the enemy. You fight your own magazine depth.

The missile drain was so severe it triggered an emergency €8.5B push to rebuild stockpiles and accelerate low-cost drone killers, ranging from modifying the Rafale's 30mm GIAT cannon fire control software to integrating 68mm ACULEUS-LG laser-guided rockets on TELSON 12 launchers. The real question: why did a top-tier Western air force like France has such a small inventory of MICA AAMs, especially after watching four years of war in Ukraine? Hopefully, Taiwan is paying very close attention.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083498985390559269

@lmaoxd

 

[Amarante]

In just eight months, the DGA and the French Air Force achieved the feat of integrating a new capability onto the Rafale: the laser-guided rocket (LADAC—*Lutte Anti-Drone sur Avion de Combat*, or Counter-UAS for Combat Aircraft)!

Faced with the proliferation of low-cost suicide drones like the Shahed-136/Geran-2, shooting down $50,000 targets with €1 million MICA missiles was no longer sustainable. In this video, I take you behind the scenes at the DGA, sharing exclusive information and footage obtained from program officials.

Why was the French 68mm rocket chosen? How are the flight tests with the Talios pod proceeding? Why does the French strategy differ from Ukraine's?

English subtitles available

 

[Optimist]

It's also because France had a total stock of 200 mica