A military flare was discovered on a Florida beach and safely removed by the sheriff’s office on Saturday.
Members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad safely removed this military flare pictured above, without incident, from the water’s edge near Mile Marker 83 in the Keys on Saturday.
A military flare is a pyrotechnic device that is used to create a bright light or intense heat. They are used for a variety of purposes.
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Some of those uses are defensive countermeasures; military flares can be used to decoy heat-seeking missiles. When a heat-seeking missile is launched at an aircraft, it tracks the heat signature of the aircraft’s engine. By releasing a flare that produces a hotter heat signature than the aircraft’s engine, the missile can be tricked into following the flare instead of the aircraft.
Military flares can be used to illuminate an area at night. This can be useful for landing aircraft, conducting search and rescue operations, or providing light for ground troops.
Military flares can be used to signal for help or to communicate with other aircraft or ground forces.
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Military flares are typically launched from aircraft, but they can also be launched from ground-based launchers. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and they can burn for different lengths of time.
“If you find a piece of military hardware or anything that looks similar, please call 911 and do not attempt to handle it yourself,” said MCSO.
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