OVERVIEW: The Heatrap manufactured by Rafael of Israel, is an expendable, infrared (IR) decoy flare of 115 mm caliber designed for naval platforms. It is intended to protect surface vessels by diverting incoming infrared-guided missiles through intense thermal signature emission.

DETAILS: The Heatrap flare functions by generating a strong infrared output upon deployment, misleading the seeker of an incoming IR-homing missile away from the ship. Fired from standard 115 mm naval decoy launchers, it is typically integrated within multilayered soft-kill suites alongside chaff and corner reflectors. It provides protection during the terminal engagement phase when IR threats are tracking the vessel’s heat signature.

FUNCTION:
It is launched from a naval decoy system into the air or sea around the vessel.
Once deployed, it produces a strong and rapidly evolving infrared signature to mislead heat-seeking sensors.
This causes incoming infrared-guided missiles to home in on the decoy rather than the ship’s actual heat source.