Baku Says it Will Buy Air Defence System from France

By Asbarez | Saturday, 08 December 2018

The French-made short-range anti-aircraft missile system VL MICA

The French-made short-range anti-aircraft missile system VL MICA

A source close to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that Baku and Paris have agreed in principle that France would supply air defense systems to Azerbaijan, reported the Turan news agency on Tuesday.

The manufacturer of the air defense missiles is MBDA Systems, a representative of which informed the Turan that negotiations on procurement had begun in 2014. The Azerbaijani side reportedly became acquainted with the tactical and technical data of these systems and was pleased. The value of the transaction was not reported.

According to international sources, the short-range anti-aircraft missile system VL MICA (Vertical Launch MICA) is an air defense system for ground forces, air bases, command posts and surface ships from cruise missiles, guided bombs, airplanes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

VL MICA can be land and sea based. Missiles of this system can intercept a target at an altitude of up to 10 km.

The SAMP-T anti-aircraft missile system is designed to provide air defense of troops and mechanized formations on the march, as well as to cover objects from a wide range of aerial targets – starting from tactical cruise missiles to all types of aircraft and helicopters.

The French-made system is being used in France and Italy and is an important element of the unified NATO missile defense system designed to intercept ballistic missiles.

SAMP-T has a high rate of fire and minimal response time (8 missiles can be launched in just 10 seconds), while the complex is able to simultaneously accompany up to 10 different targets and is controlled by a crew of 2 people.

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