Aliases

Disambiguation

In military and aerospace contexts, 'flare' refers to pyrotechnic devices—either infrared countermeasures deployed by aircraft against heat-seeking missiles, or illumination devices suspended by parachute. Not to be confused with solar flares (astronomical) or distress flares (maritime emergency signals), though the term shares historical origin with both.

Stats

Concept

A pyrotechnic aerial device deployed by military aircraft to defeat heat-seeking missiles (countermeasure variant) or to provide illumination for tactical operations (illumination variant).

Um dispositivo pirotécnico aéreo implantado por aeronaves militares para derrotar mísseis que buscam calor (variante de contramedida) ou para fornecer iluminação para operações táticas (variante de iluminação).

Enrichment

• Flare (countermeasure) — Wikipedia
  Wikipedia▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • Aerial infrared countermeasure deployed to counter heat-seeking missiles
  • Typically composed of magnesium or hot-burning metals
  • Burns at temperatures equal to or exceeding engine exhaust
  • Standard military aircraft defensive equipment
  • Effective against infrared guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles
• Flare — Wikipedia
  Wikipedia▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • Flares serve multiple purposes: distress signals, illumination, countermeasures
  • Illumination flares suspended by parachute for battlefield visibility
  • Can provide extended illumination (up to 30 minutes for ground targets)
  • Pyrotechnic combustion without explosion
  • Used by military, civilian aviation, maritime, and firefighting applications
• Advanced Infrared Countermeasure Munition (AIRCMM)
  GlobalSecurity.org▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • AIRCMM program designates M211 and M212 as improved flare variants
  • Deployed on MH-47 and MH-60 Helicopters by 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment since 2000
  • Advanced infrared countermeasure technology
  • Part of DoD airborne countermeasures portfolio