A flare was a pyrotechnic device that either functioned as a warhead countermeasure on a starship, or as a signal flare to transmit a priority message if communications were not functioning. Countermeasure flares were anti-warhead defense mechanisms used by small spacecraft. They consisted of a supply of small, inexpensive low-yield warheads whose targeting systems were designed to home in on incoming warheads and detonate them before they posed a threat to the ship itself. If no incoming warheads were detected, the flare would instead home in on the nearest enemy starfighter, though not powerful enough to cause significant damage, it was useful as brief distraction. While less accurate, and therefore less reliable, than the chaff type, the flare was more versatile.