Decoy Flares: Great Balls of Fire

John Sootheran: Combat Aircraft 10/2020

Heat-seeking missiles were responsible for around 80% of US aircraft losses in Operation Desert Storm. Decoy flares, aka aerial infra-red countermeasures, burn at more than 3’600 deg F and are designed to seduce the missiles away from their intended target.

2020_10, Flares, Combat Aircraft