XM 216 Dark Star flare
Executive summary
XM-216 is a family name for so-called “dark flares” — spectral infrared decoy cartridges marketed as SPARC3/XM216 by Elbit Systems that are designed to lure advanced heat-seeking missiles away from aircraft while producing little visible flare or smoke; manufacturers and reporting say they are in operational use on helicopters such as the MH-47G Night Stalker Chinook and are compatible with common dispensers [1] [2] [3]. The phrase “Dark Star” does not appear in the supplied reporting, and there is no direct source in this set that officially links XM-216 to a “Dark Star” model name, so any specific product with that exact label cannot be confirmed from these documents [2] [1].
1. What XM-216 actually is, according to manufacturers
Elbit Systems describes SPARC3/XM216 as an advanced spectral infrared decoy designed to defeat modern dual-band and more advanced heat-seeking missiles by presenting a spectral signature that confuses missile seekers, and the vendor explicitly bills the device as a “one‑flare solution” that is combat‑proven and compatible with standard dispensing systems such as ALE-40/47 [1]. Technical literature from Elbit quotes dimensions (roughly 25x25x206 mm), weight (about 0.4 lb / 180 g), variants with improved trajectory (XM216E5), and an ejection squib part number, while emphasizing “obscureness” or “dark flare” characteristics — low luminance at night and low smoke during day operations [2] [4].
2. How and why “dark” flares are different from traditional pyrotechnics
The distinguishing claim in supplier materials and reporting is that the XM-216 family produces a decoy effect in the infrared bands without the bright visible flash and heavy smoke typical of older pyrotechnic flares, which reduces visual detection and battlefield signature while still defeating seekers that discriminate targets spectrally [2] [4]. That low visible signature — described repeatedly as “invisible to the naked eye” in aviation reports about helicopters fitted with the system — is the marketing and reporting shorthand for this reduced luminance and smoke output [5] [6].
3. Operational use and platforms reported to carry XM-216
Public and trade reporting links XM-216 to rotorcraft operated by special operations units — for example, MH-47G Chinook variants flown by Night Stalkers and other special operations platforms are repeatedly reported as carrying XM-216 “dark flares” alongside missile warning systems and laser warning receivers [5] [3] [7]. Manufacturer pages and defense press assert global operational use, including export customers such as the Israeli Air Force, and claim the system is deployed across fixed‑wing, rotary and unmanned platforms [1].
4. Sources, agendas and limits of the record
Most factual claims about performance and “combat-proven” status come from Elbit Systems’ product pages and PDFs, which naturally promote capability and deployment [1] [2]. Defense trade articles and unit‑focused reporting corroborate fielding on specific platforms but often rely on vendor disclosures or program briefs rather than independent test reports [5] [3] [7]. Online forums and Q&A threads echo the phrase “invisible to the naked eye” but are not primary evidence and sometimes recycle vendor claims [8] [9]. The supplied corpus contains no independent test data, government certification document or dispassionate performance evaluation to quantify effectiveness against specific missile seekers.
5. The “Dark Star” name: corroboration and caution
None of the provided sources uses the compound term “Dark Star” in an official way for XM-216; the documents uniformly refer to “dark flares,” SPARC3 and XM-216 nomenclature [2] [1] [4]. Therefore, treating “XM 216 Dark Star flare” as a discrete, verifiable product name is not supported by these materials; it is possible the phrase is colloquial, promotional, or a misremembering of “dark flare” language in vendor and press accounts, but that specific label cannot be confirmed here [2] [1].
6. Bottom line assessment
Credible manufacturer and defense-industry sources establish XM-216/SPARC3 as a modern spectral IR decoy family with low visible signature and operational use on platforms such as the MH-47G, but the evidence in this packet is vendor-heavy and does not validate the separate label “Dark Star” or provide independent performance testing; readers should treat claims of invisibility and “combat-proven” status as vendor claims corroborated by platform fitment reports rather than fully independent verification [1] [5] [3].