Chaff or Flares ??

[Ironduke]

When you see Military Jets flying over the Lebanon , you hear some of the war correspondents speaking about Chaff or Flares that get fired from the jets (ie to put off heat seeking missiles) are they 2 of the same name or does each chaff/flare have a specific purpose
Thanks in advance

[steviep165]

chaff is a reflective material punched out of the plane to counteract the effects of radar guided missiles. it creates a reflective signature which the missile finds more "attractive" than the target aircraft.
flares work on a similar principle but create a source of high heat/infra-red energy which attracts heat seeking missiles.

[Ironduke]

Cheers stevie , that explains it

[Catso]

I don't know whether they should been, but I once saw 2 american planes doing this just off the Norfolk coast, near Wells. It did look pretty!

[Toureman]

Take a look at this Hercules firing Flares........

http://iar-ira.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/photos/aete_herc ules_flare.jpg

[buildersmate]

UK (and its NATO partners) do training exercises in the North Sea involving countermeasures.