• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an advanced chaff technology, which is used to safeguard Indian Air Force fighter jets from hostile radar-guided missiles.

• Two DRDO laboratories — Defence Laboratory Jodhpur and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) in Pune — developed the advanced chaff material and chaff cartridge (118/I), and it has met the qualitative requirements of the IAF.

• The IAF has started the process of induction of this technology after the completion of successful trials.

What is chaff technology?

• In today’s electronic warfare, survivability of fighter aircraft is of prime concern because of advancement in modern radar threats. To ensure survivability of aircraft, Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) is used which provides passive jamming against infrared and radar threats. 

• Chaff is a passive expendable electronic countermeasure technology used worldwide to protect naval ships or fighter jets from enemy’s radar and Radio Frequency (RF) missile seekers. The chaff deployed in the air helps in misleading the enemy radars or deflecting adversary missiles.

• The importance of this advanced chaff technology lies in the fact that very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as decoy to deflect enemy’s missiles for ensuring safety of the fighter aircraft.

• Ejection of the chaff payload is triggered either manually by the pilot or automatically by the CMDS.

• The technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the IAF.

What is the difference between chaff and flares?

• When an aircraft is threatened by radar tracking missiles, chaff ejected into the turbulent wake of air behind the plane creates confusion for the missile’s radar system.

• Flare is another countermeasure used by aircrafts. Flares are used to save fighter jets, transport and helicopters from infrared guided missiles (both surface to air and air to air threats). Flares distract heat-seeking missiles by ejecting pellets which ignite in the air producing very intense infrared radiation.

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