Infrared Spectra of Customized Magnesium/Teflon/Viton Decoy Flares

Abstract

Infrared (IR) guided missile is known to cause 90% of aircraft damage. Magnesium/Teflon/Viton (MTV) decoy flares are customized materials, which are capable of yielding thermal signature to interfere with IR guided missile seekers. In this study, the IR-signature of an MTV flare is measured in a jet engine nozzle. The jet engine IR-signature is characterized with two characteristic peaks over the α-band (2–3 µm) and β-band (3–5 µm); this is correlated to black body emission at 690° C. The MTV decoy flare with 65% Mg offers an increase in the average intensity of the α- and β-bands by 21 and 4 times, respectively, to that of the jet engine. Quantification of emitting species in the combustion flame is conducted by using the ICT thermodynamic code. The developed MTV formulation offers the relative intensity ratio of the α- and β-bands equal to 0.96, which is comparable to that of an aircraft (0.7).