They patented one. Excerpted article (this was linked in the OP):
The U.S. Navy has patented technology to create mid-air images to fool infrared and other sensors. This builds on many years of laser-plasma research and offers a game-changing method of protecting aircraft from heat-seeking missiles.
The Navy declined to discuss the project, but the work is described in a 2018 patent: “wherein a laser source is mounted on the back of the air vehicle, and wherein the laser source is configured to create a laser-induced plasma, and wherein the laser-induced plasma acts as a decoy for an incoming threat to the air vehicle.”
Unlike flares, the LIPF decoy can be created instantly at any desired distance from the aircraft, and can be moved around at will. Equally importantly, moves with the aircraft, rather than dropping away rapidly like a flare, providing protection for as long as needed.
The lead researcher in the patent is Alexandru Hening. A 2017 piece in the Navy’s own IT magazine says that Dr. Hening has been working on laser-induced plasma at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific since 2012.