A tripflare is a device used by

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

forces to secure an area and to guard against

infiltration Infiltration may refer to: Science, medicine, and engineering *Infiltration (hydrology), downward movement of water into soil *Infiltration (HVAC), a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning term for air leakage into buildings *Infiltration (me ...

. It consists of

tripwire A tripwire is a passive triggering mechanism. Typically, a wire or cord is attached to a device for detecting or reacting to physical movement. Military applications Such tripwires may be attached to one or more mines – especially fragme ...

around the area, linked to one or more

flare A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...

s. When the tripwire is triggered, as by someone unsuspectingly disturbing it, the flare is activated and begins burning. The light from the flare simultaneously warns that the perimeter may have been breached and also gives light for investigating. In defensive operations, tripflares are usually placed in predetermined

kill zone In military tactics, the kill zone, also known as killing zone, is an area entirely covered by direct and effective fire, an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed. The objective of the ambush force i ...

s with machine guns sighted on them.

Construction

United States military tripflares are issued with a fuze resembling that found on the

M67 grenade The M67 grenade is a fragmentation hand grenade used by the United States military. The M67 is a further development of the M33 grenade, itself a replacement for the M26-series grenades used during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the older Mk ...

. The difference is that the tripflare uses a pull fuse. This type of fuse detonates the flare immediately following spoon release. Also the pin does not have either the ring, or the split pin of other grenades. Instead it is double ended, one end acts as a safety clipping into both sides of the fuse body, while the other side is a straight pin allowing for easy removal. The flare is shipped with a metal mounting bracket that allows the grenade shaped flare to be mounted on a stake, tree, or other vertical service. One end of the bracket has a point allowing it to be driven into the ground, while the other end has a spring loaded spoon holder that allows for two way release. The soldier installing the flare can use this feature to set up the tension so that if the trip wire is detected and cut the flare still ignites.

1971 Thiokol accident

On February 3, 1971, an explosion at a trip flare munitions plant in Woodbine, Georgia, killed 29 and injured 50 people. Earlier in 1967, the United States Army misclassified the chemical used as a Class 2 flammable, instead of the more dangerous Class 7 explosive, which would have required stricter safety protocols. In November 1970, the Army fixed their mistake, reclassifying the material as Class 7, three months prior to the accident. The notification of the change was forgotten in an officer's desk drawer, and the plant was not informed until 22 days after the explosion. The Army was found negligent and settled with the families of the victims for less than $20 million.

References

External links

13 - SOL:M49A1 SURFACE TRIP FLARE (09/12/95)AMIG Trip Flare is a Military Pyrotechnic product intended to give warning of infilterating troops by illuminating the field of the advancing enemy. When the flare is activated by the trip wire, a pyrotechnic illuminating mixture is ignited immediately
Military technology {{mil-stub