105 mm Illum M314A3

The interior contains the ejection charge, the ignition charge, the flare canister and its parachute. The parachute is housed in a metal-sided tube that is in two halves.

At the time selected, the fuze functions to ignite the ejection charge, which in turn ignites the ignition charge.

The ejection charge builds up pressure which forces down on the flare canister and the tube halves.

The three shear pins then break to allow the baseplate, the flare parachute and the canister to eject, with the baseplate moving to one side because of its unbalanced state.

As this is happening, the ignition charge ignites the flare compisition, which is magnesium and sodium nitrate bonded by a resin.