What is chaff?

• A. Small explosive devices
• B. Navigation beacons
• C. Anti-radiation missiles
• D. Packages of foil strips ejected from an aircraft and dispersed into the air to confuse enemy radar by re-radiating radar energy

Answer: (D)

Chaff is a radar countermeasure designed to defeat tracking and targeting by creating a cloud of false radar echoes. It consists of many small, thin pieces of metalized foil packed into canisters and ejected from an aircraft. Once dispersed, these foil strips reflect radar waves and re-radiate energy, producing numerous bright returns on the radar screen. This clutter makes it hard for the radar operator to distinguish the real aircraft from decoys, effectively masking the true position and movement of the aircraft. It’s not a weapon, like small explosive devices or anti-radiation missiles, and it doesn’t function as a navigation beacon.