Firing Countermeasures (Flares)

Aerial Beauty That Just May Save Your Soul

Decoy flares, “angel decoys” – as part of aerial countermeasures these heavenly pyrotechnics will protect the plane from possible missile danger when launched.
IR-decoy flares serve to counter infrared-guided surface-to-air missiles (SAM) or air-to-air missiles (AAM) and contain pyrotechnic and pyrophoric payloads, expelled from a craft according to an anticipated threat.

On the following series of photos a pilot of a Russian military Air Force performs with his SU-27 jet fighter, during the Monino air show:

The most-often-referred-to-as-”AMAZING” image on the internet