Who Knew Missile Defense Could Be So Pretty?
Mon, Nov 23, 2009
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A C-17 Globemaster III during a training mission
Image: US Air Force/Russell J. Cooley IV
Decoy flares are infrared countermeasures used to protect aircraft from being detected by infrared homing missiles, i.e. those that detect heat sources like a jet engine. Like a plane’s guardian angels, the flares create false heat targets that confuse the guidance system of an enemy aircraft’s infrared missiles. Apart from being a simple and effective defense mechanism, they’re also surprisingly beautiful. No wonder they have been nicknamed angel wings.
An AC-130H during multi-gunship formation egress training:
Image: US Air Force/Julianne Showalter
Always a bit different – an AC-130U Spooky gunship during a test mission:
Image: US Air Force/Julianne Showalter
Flares, like fireworks, are pyrotechnic compositions based on magnesium and other hot-burning metal. The aim is to have burning temperatures equal to or hotter than engine exhaust so that infrared-guided missiles seek out the heat signature from the flare rather than the jet engine. The C-17 Globemaster III at the very top caused the “smoke angel” through vortices at its wingtips.
A CH-46E deploying flares above an amphibious assault ship:
Image: US Navy/HMM-166
Leaving its wings behind – another C-17 Globemaster III:
Image: US Air Force
A disadvantage is that standard infrared countermeasure systems broadcast a bright source of infrared; therefore they can even enhance an enemy missile’s ability to track the aircraft if they are not effective against a particular seeker system.
A British C-130J Hercules, causing fireworks before landing at Baghdad’s newly reopened military runway in 2003:
Image: Robert R. Hargreaves Jr.
In a standard defense operation, once the presence of a “live” infrared missile is detected, the aircraft would release the flares to decoy the missile and get it to stick with the flares’ heat source after diving away sharply.
Like a web of lights – flares from two CH-46Es:
Image: US Navy
The aircraft would then reduce engine power to cool the thermal signature and confuse the missile’s seeker head by this change in temperature and new signature(s). Infrared countermeasures were first deployed during the Vietnam War and apart from becoming lighter, more portable and more reliable, the concept hasn’t changed much. Flares can counter surface-to-air missiles and air-to-air missiles.
A C-130 Hercules, all flared up:
Image: US Air Force
Chaff is a radar countermeasure based on a similar technique, namely distraction. During a chaff measure, an aircraft spreads a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminum and metallised glass fibre or plastic. The aim is to either swamp enemy aircraft radar screens or to have the chaff cloud appear as a cluster of secondary targets. Chaff was first developed independently by the UK and Germany during World War II.
The flare and chaff dispensers, located on each side of the C-130 Hercules:
Image: US Air Force/David W. Richards
Pictured below is a US Air Force AC-130 Gunship aircraft executing an evasive maneuver, dropping chaff and flares during a firepower demonstration.
That’s why they’re called angel wings – they’re made up of feathers:
Image: US Air Force/Lawrence Crespo
Another feather in the HH60-H Seahawk helicopter‘s cap:
Image: US Navy/Jonathan D. Chandler
A CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter testing MJU-32/B round flares:
Image: US Marine Corps/Kelly R. Chase
The CH-46 Sea Knight from a different angle, flying over Iraq:
Image: US Marine Corps/Jason W. Fudge
Angel of war – an MC-130:
Image: US Air Force
An Su-27 Flanker during a Russian air force demonstration:
Image: Yurij Lapitskiy
We first spotted this cool aerial phenomenon on weirdomatic.
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1 Trackbacks For This Post
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¿Quién dijo que los misiles sólo dejan estelas de destrucción? Says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm[...] ¿Quién dijo que los misiles sólo dejan estelas de destrucción? [...]
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Picture #1 is a manifestation of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pm
this is certainly nice. looks like something from the Japanese gundam series but this is very nice indeed. a show of muscle for those that go against the way of the free. I wonder if they could make a tomahawk’s explosion beautiful too…
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Wow…How do they do that?
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Wow, that is truly amazing. Nice stuff dude!
RT
http://www.ultimate-privacy.br.tc
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Very cool pictures.
The forth picture with the CH-46E is not an aircraft carrier is it is an Amphibious Assault Ship, most likely an LHA, USS Tarawa.
-IT2 (SW/AW)
US Navy
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:14 pm
may we all bask in his noodley greatness
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Hey everyone, thanks for your comments!
IT2, thanks for the correction, has been made.
Simone
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
These are absolutely beautiful. It’s amazing where you can find the most amazing things.
I guess they’re basically fireworks, so it makes sense that they’re pretty!
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Doesn’t THAAD count as missile defence?
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/thaad/thaad3.html
Pretty
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:48 pm
These are NOT missiles but FLARES.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:01 am
A pathetic waste of tax payers money!
November 24th, 2009 at 9:50 am
y’know, it’s shocking that in this day and age, where we have things like xboxes and ps3s and such…. that there isn’t a simple program you can put into a missile that tells it “when you encounter a big bloom of multiple targets, GO FOR THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE!”
November 24th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
they are very exciting pics , we felt flying!!!
November 24th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
They should feature some Nuclear Explosions and the effects of it. I mean the cancer -generating ones. Again, nice post.
November 25th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
OMG
this is beauty for anyone who is insane….
ask the hundreds of thousands of people who have become a victim of this PRETTY missile ATTACK. NOT defence
November 26th, 2009 at 3:08 am
From what I know of the subject, the majority of these pictures are photo ops where someone on board the aircraft has hit a “jettison” switch to dump all the flares as soon as mechanically/electronically possible for a fancy picture. In reality, flares are dumped as few as possible but enough to ensure that the threat is neutralized. Doesn’t make much sense to dump them all the first hint of a threat and have no backup for follow-on missiles that may just be waiting for open season. Most of these systems are computerized and require virtually no human intervention. Great shots though.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
If these are simply flares to make pretty pictures that is one thing. If on the other hand these are actually missiles that will fall and potentially kill people that is quit another thing. If they fall and kill people then the beauty of the show and the images are completely negated by death.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
it is not a waste if it defends the country. iwas in the air force so i know what kind of programs went on testing is necessary if you want to know what an item can do and it is going on for many many years thanks for paying your taxes without you we would be a communist country-enjoy your freedom!!!!
RONNIE
December 8th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Since when is a Nimitz class aircraft carrier considered an amphibious assault vehicle?
December 11th, 2009 at 1:15 am
The post was made to show the art of the photos. No one wants to read random irrelevant rants.