hmm... did I spell this node title right?
A flash suppressor is a device that fits on the tip of the barrel of a gun, in the same place as a silencer. As the name suggests, it suppresses muzzle flash when the gun is fired.
Imagine if you got a road cone, removed the top centimeter, and then cut off a section 150mm or so long. Then placed this on the muzzle of a gun, and stuck it there. That's basically what a flash suppressor is like.
It is a common misconception that the function of a flash suppressor is to hide the flash from the enemy; it isn't. Flash suppressors are designed so that if guns are fired at night, the users don't lose their night sight.
This is more useful than the other army-approved night sight retention technique; close one eye when firing, and re-open it when firing is complete.