Chaff is a passive expendable electronic countermeasure technology used worldwide to protect naval ships from enemy’s radar and RF missile seekers.

Aircraft like fighter jets, bombers, and even helicopters employ a variety of systems to avoid enemy ordnance, but chaff and flares are the most common methods.

Chaff consists of tiny strips of metal, plastic, or fiberglass coated with a metallic substance. When aircraft release chaff, it creates a cloud of tiny metal strips that reflect radar signals.

'Chaff' is an interesting word in that it has several radically different meanings, one of which we are well familiar with, being in a military area.

Chaff from military plane likely caused mysterious blip in weather radar: Reports Fort Campbell and Scott Air Force Base denied that the C-130 came from there.

Strange radar anomalies confused the Evansville area in December. Around the same time, similar blips appeared all around the country.