The light scattering model of the particles is the theoretical basis for calculating the extinction performance of the smokescreen materials, and it is also the key to study the interaction principle between the materials and the electromagnetic waves, and to design the advanced photoelectric interference materials theoretically. Several numerical calculation methods widely used in the field of the smokescreen materials calculation are introduced in detail, including T-matrix method, finite difference time domain(FDTD)method, finite element method (FEM) and discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. The development process, the advantages and disadvantages, and the application status of these methods are described. The development direction of the extinction calculation and simulation of smokescreen particles is pointed out.