In recent years, the rapid development of optoelectronic technology has propelled the development of electronic warfare to a new stage. The widespread application of new air-to-air missiles poses great challenges to the survival ability of fighters. Airborne throwing active radio frequency decoys are a disposable radar decoy which can simulate the flight and radar characteristics of our own fighters to deceive the radar detection equipments of the enemy and improve our survival probability. Due to its advantages such as small size, light weight and low cost compared with miniature air-launched decoy (MALD), which has attracted widespread attention from various countries.The basic overview and applications of several publicly reported airborne throwing active decoys abroad are introduced, and the development trend is prospected.