Pyrotechnic Countermeasures: II. Advanced Aerial Infrared Countermeasures

This paper discusses the technology of advanced aerial infrared countermeasures and related work disclosed in the unclassified literature. Missile‐seeker head counter‐countermeasures include spectral discrimination, kinematical discrimination, rise‐time discrimination, UV/VIS discrimination and area temperature matching. Advanced flare payloads designed to counter dual color seekers contain selectively emitting compositions based primarily on high carbon fuels and perchlorates. Other advanced payloads consist of low temperature emitters like pyrophoric metal foils and gasless pyrotechnic compositions like Fe/KClO₄. The optimization of black body flares, still considered essential to a successful countermeasure solution, make use of new fuels based on e.g. meta‐stable alloys and nanometer‐sized powders as well as high energetic oxidizers. Kinematic flares today use combined propellant and infrared grains. 116 references from the public domain are given. For part I see Ref. [1].     

Pyrotechnic Countermeasures: IV. Radiometric Performance of a Sulphur‐based Flare Composition

Radiometric performance of a sulphur‐based flare composition has been investigated. Composition comprising sulphur, potassium perchlorate and antimony sulphide has acceptable band ratio but an order of magnitude weaker spectral efficiency than typical carbon‐based compositions. The use of other sulphur compounds with potential for increased performance is discussed. For part III see Ref. [1].