I very much doubt if the vl mica can tackle a target at a on ground range of 10km and 9km altitude. maybe these two should be seen as separate max figures not together. the missile remains unchanged and does not have a addl booster.
when a AAM not originally designed for SAM use is taken (vlmica, derby, python) , its relatively small motor designed for high alt use suffers a lot more in comparison to purpose built SAMs with beefy motors. the drag force at sea level vs 40,000ft is way higher
http://www.strategypage.com/militaryfor ... ofcommentsits top speed and speed dropoff after burnout will never reach that in the A2A mode.
only the company reps/IAF with reams of test data and curves can give a true pic of derby vs vlmica type comparisons at sea level.
my view is these things can protect a circle of around 5km radiums and 3km height effectively against fast and agile crossing/receding/approaching targets...maybe a little more if fired down the throat of approaching targets...but not to expect them to be area defence bubbles...they are point defence..ideal for camps and airbases but not for more area denial ops like Akash/PAC3/Buk. MANPADS might have a similar bubble but cannot even handle fast crossing or receding targets in all likelihood. so that is one notch lower than these point defence SAMs...atleast CIWS guns can launch a barrage of ammo at crossing targets or receding targets and hope to cause some damage or force a diversion.
the pakis have invested a lot in manpads and set great store by them, but a simple innovation like the mjoelnir gliding submunition dispenser launched from low level 5-10km away totally bypasses that threat unless a manpad wielding jihadi tspian is posted on every tree for miles around. useless against medium alt LGB shooters too, not to speak of wing range extention kits gliding in from 30km away.