An AC-130U Gunship aircraft from the 4th Special Operation Squadron jettisons flares over an area near Hurlburt Field, Fla., on Aug. 20, 2008. The flares are used as a countermeasure to heat-seeking missiles that can track aircraft during real-world missions.

Photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter

 

See the AC-130U Gunship in action in the video below: