Infrared countermeasure
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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
Chaff (countermeasure)
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Chaff, originally called Window or Düppel, is a radar countermeasure involving the dispersal of thin strips of aluminium, metallized glass fiber, or plastic. Dispersed chaff produces a large radar cross section intended to blind or disrupt radar systems.
Modern US Navy RR-144 (top) and RR-129 (bottom) chaff countermeasures and containers. Note how the strips of the RR-129 chaff (bottom) are of different widths, while those of the RR-144 (top) are all the same width. The RR-144 is designed to prevent interference with civil ATC radar systems.
A Lancaster dropping chaff (the crescent-shaped white cloud on the left of the picture) over Essen during a thousand-bomber raid
Two forms of RAF "Window" radar countermeasure: chopped aluminium wire and paper backed with aluminium foil
The effect of chaff on the display of a Würzburg Riese radar. The effect of jamming appears in the left "jagged" half of the circular ring, contrasting with the normal "smooth" (unjammed) display on the right half of the circle with a real target at the 3 o'clock position – on the jammed left side, the real target "blip" would have been indistinguishable from the jamming.