A flare or decoy flare is an aerial infrared countermeasure used by an aircraft to counter an infrared homing ("heat-seeking") surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile. Flares are commonly composed of a pyrotechnic composition based on magnesium or another hot-burning metal, with burning temperature equal to or hotter than engine exhaust. The aim is to make the infrared-guided missile seek out the heat signature from the flare rather than the aircraft's engines.
An infrared guided AIM-9M Sidewinder missile hitting a flare
Russian Knights fire their flares as a salute to Igor Tkachenko.
A C-130 Hercules deploying flares
C-130 flare and chaff dispensers
An infrared countermeasure (IRCM) is a device designed to protect aircraft from infrared homing missiles by confusing the missiles' infrared guidance system so that they miss their target. Heat-seeking missiles were responsible for about 80% of air losses in Operation Desert Storm. The most common method of infrared countermeasure is deploying flares, as the heat produced by the flares creates hundreds of targets for the missile.
BAE Hot Brick infrared jammer
Sukhoi Su-27 shoots off false heat targets
C-130 Hercules deploys flares, sometimes called angel flares because of their characteristic pattern
An ALQ-144 modulated IRCM jammer