Optimal Guidance Anticipating Missile Performance

Two different guidance methods are designed for the pre-launch phase in a one-versus-one air combat situation with missiles. In both guidance schemes a missile/target simulation is performed to estimate the miss distance at the end of a fictitious missile launch. A way to do this in real time is described. The first guidance method continuously evaluates the miss distance for each aircraft against the respective opponent. The guidance is such that the ratio of the rates of the miss distances takes an optimal value from the view of the guided aircraft. Thus, it reaches a firing opportunity first. The purpose of the second guidance method is to reach a firing position against a nonmaneuvering target in minimum time.