Black Knight Flight 215 Tests Defences in the Gulf – the Type 23 Frigate MONMOUTH (known as the Black Knight) tested its flare defence system.   The LYNX HMA.8 (known as the Black Knight) was testing one of the box of tricks that makes up the helicopters defensive aid suite… in this instance Infra Red Counter Measures (flares to the uniniated).     These are installed to decoy incoming heat seeking missiles – fired either by other aircraft, or ground-based threats such as shoulder-launched MANPADS (small hand-held surface-to-air missiles) – drawing them away from the helicopter’s engines on to a much hotter target.