Decoy Flares Market Report 2025

The decoy flares market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.9 billion in 2024 to $2.1 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising military defense budgets, increasing global geopolitical tensions, growing demand for aircraft safety, rising threat of missile attacks, and increasing military modernization programs.

The decoy flares market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.09 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. Key drivers of this forecasted growth include an increasing reliance on countermeasures, a stronger focus on maintaining air superiority, a growing emphasis on electronic warfare capabilities, and expanded deployment in combat aircraft. Prominent trends expected during the forecast period involve the adoption of intelligent flare release systems, technological advances in flare ignition timing, innovations in reduced-signature flare models, improvements in flare burn time control, and the integration of artificial intelligence for detecting threats.

The increasing deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is driving the growth of the decoy flares market. UAVs, which are aircraft systems that operate autonomously or by remote control without a human pilot, are being increasingly adopted for defense purposes such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strikes. In military operations, decoy flares enhance UAV survivability by protecting them from heat-seeking missile attacks. For example, in May 2024, the International Trade Administration cited that the global commercial drone fleet is projected to grow by 40% between 2022 and 2030, according to the VUL (association of unmanned aviation). This expansion in UAV use is contributing significantly to the growth of the decoy flares market.

The rising defense budgets are expected to propel the growth of the decoy flares market going forward. Defense budgets refer to the funds allocated by a government for the development, maintenance, and operation of its armed forces and defense infrastructure. As global tensions rise, countries are increasingly investing in military preparedness and national security, which includes enhanced spending on countermeasure technologies such as decoy flares. For instance, in April 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Sweden-based non-government organization, in 2023, global military spending reached $2.44 trillion, up 6.8% in real terms from 2022. This growing military expenditure is fostering demand for advanced decoy flare systems and upgrades across global defense sectors.

In March 2025, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., an Israel-based defense technology company, partnered with Elbit Systems Ltd. to enhance the defense capabilities of NATO frigates by equipping them with advanced decoy launch systems designed to counter modern missile threats. Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based defense contractor company that produces advanced infrared (IR) decoy flares that protect aircraft from heat-seeking missiles. This collaboration aims to strengthen NATO naval assets by integrating cutting-edge defensive solutions, thereby expanding the application of decoy flare technology to maritime operations.

Major players in the decoy flares market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Thales Group, Rheinmetall AG, Elbit Systems Limited, MBDA, IMI Systems Ltd, LACROIX Group, Chemring Group PLC, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited, ASELSAN Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Roxel, Rosoboronexport, Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd, Armtec Defense Technologies, Owen International, Etienne Lacroix Group, Bird Aerosystems Limited, and TARA Aerospace AD.

North America was the largest region in the decoy flares market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in decoy flares report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the decoy flares market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The quick escalation of U.S. tariffs and the resulting strain in trade relations in spring 2025 are considerably influencing the Paper, Plastics, Rubber, Wood And Textile sector by inflating costs for imported pulp, resin, synthetic rubber, lumber, and cotton key inputs with limited domestic substitutes. Packaging manufacturers, for example, now pay more for plastic films and corrugated materials, squeezing margins in an already price-sensitive market. Textile producers face similar challenges, as tariffs on imported yarns and dyes compound pressures from rising labor costs. Some firms are shifting to recycled materials or biodegradable alternatives, while others consolidate suppliers to negotiate bulk discounts.

Decoy flares are defensive countermeasure devices used by military aircraft to protect themselves from infrared-guided missiles. These flares produce intense heat signatures that simulate the aircraft’s engine output, effectively misleading and deflecting incoming threats. They are commonly deployed in rapid bursts when a missile threat is detected. Decoy flares form an essential element of modern airborne self-defense systems.

The primary categories of decoy flares include pyrotechnic flares, pyrophoric flares, and other types. Pyrotechnic flares work by igniting chemical substances that emit strong heat and bright light to mislead approaching missiles. The product portfolio consists of handheld, aircraft-mounted, vehicle-mounted, and shipborne flares, which are utilized across platforms including airborne, naval, and ground-based systems. These flares are used in various applications such as military aviation, naval defense, and ground operations, as well as commercial aviation, catering to defense forces, commercial airlines, and private security service providers.

The decoy flares market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides decoy flares market statistics, including the decoy flares industry's global market size, regional shares, competitors with the decoy flares market share, detailed decoy flares market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the decoy flares market. This decoy flares market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The decoy flares market consists of sales of multi-spectral flares, advanced spectral flares, and dispenser systems. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values and are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.