IR Flares

IR Flares, also known as Infrared Flares, is a specialization available for jets and both types of helicopters in Battlefield 3 that breaks missile locks when deployed. They have a cooldown timer after it is used, but there is no ammunition limit.

Battlefield 3
When equipped, the IR Flares specialization adds infrared flares to aircraft, deployable with the countermeasures button which is by default on PC and Left Trigger or L1 on PS3 and RB on Xbox 360.

 When the presence of an IR weapon is detected by the onboard system, the pilot is warned with an audio tone and a flashing lock in the HUD. Upon launch detection the tone alters indicating an inbound IR seeking weapon; be it air-to-air or ground-to-air (mobile SAM, Guided Shell, FGM-184 or MANPADS). The pilot or gunner (Attack Chopper) must manually fire the flare to counter the incoming threat. Upon command the flare deploys from the aircraft, ignites and as gravity forces the flare down it enters the decoy stage. While in the decoy stage, the flare attempts to mimic the IR signature of the airframe it was deployed from. Modern IR countermeasures differ from older systems that attempted to burn hotter than the dispensing aircrafts engine; this was made obsolete by adding a CCM (counter countermeasure) to IR seeking weapons. Since the decoy stage isn’t entered immediately, one must be cautious to not wait excessive amounts of time to deploy flare; doing so will result in being struck the be incoming IR weapon.

 Once used, the flares require 10 seconds before they can be deployed again

It is not yet known if low-fired flares have any effect upon direct contact with ground forces.

Bengalas IR