Igniter assembly actuated by parachute deployment, and flare containing the same

This parachute flare igniter assembly has a novel slider for attaining high reliability in firing efficiency. The slider moves along a raceway of an igniter assembly housing. Also disposed in the housing is a cartridge retained in a stationary state relative to the housing. The cartridge includes a stationary primer and a spring. A striker arm connected to the cartridge is movable into a cocked state in which the spring urges the striker arm towards the primer. The slider has an igniter composition chamber and a cocking wall portion, and is movable in tandem with the igniter composition chamber along at least a portion of the length of said raceway from a loaded position to a firing position. In the loaded position, the striker arm is maintained in the cocked state by the cocking wall portion. In the firing position, the igniter composition chamber is aligned and in communication with the primer and the striker arm is free of the cocking wall portion to permit the spring to drive the striker arm from the cocked state into the primer with the force sufficient to detonate the primer.