An aircraft expendable instrument, an apparatus for launching an aircraft expendable instrument, and a method for detecting the launch of an aircraft expendable instrument are provided. The aircraft expendable instrument launch system an aircraft expendable instrument, a launch tube, a magnetic field generator positioned in the launch tube, a magnetic field detector positioned in the aircraft expendable instrument, and an electronics electrically coupled to the magnetic field detector. The electronics operable to detect a signal provided by the magnetic field detector when the aircraft expendable instrument an air travels through a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator.