Integrated guidance and control for missiles

Authors:

  • Berefelt Fredrik
  • Robinson John W.C.
  • Skoogh Daniel

Publish date: 2006-01-01

Report number: FOI-R--2132--SE

Pages: 42

Written in: English

Abstract

For guided aerodynamic missiles, the pursuit problem can roughly be divided into two cases; stationary and maneuvering targets. In the latter case, maneuvering of the missile becomes a critical factor to improving the missile system performance. Traditionally, maneuvering of a missile is divided into guidance and control, where the latter function is implemented in an autopilot which gives the missile the desired response to acceleration commands from the guidance system. Such a division of functions between guidance and control can be motivated by the fact that they for the most part of the missile trajectory evolve on different timescales. In the very last moments in the endgame of a scenario with a maneuvering target this needs no longer be true however, and the distiction between guidance and control gets blurred. This is particularly true when the intercept takes place near the borders of operation for the missile, where the velocity and maneuverability advantage for the missile are low. Thus there is a need for integrated guidance and control (IGC), where these two functions can be implemented and optimized simultaneously. In this report we adress some of the problems of IGC, summarize some of the research results in the FOI Missile Guidance and Control project during 2006, and suggest some future directions to follow for implementable IGC solutions.