A missile duel between two aircraft

A delicate differential game is formed by two aircraft performing a long-range missile duel. The duel starts for each aircraft with a semiagressive phase until the launch of the missile, when a pure evasion commences. In numerically solving the nonlinear differential game problem, an optimization algorithm is used consisting of a modified first-order differential dynamic programming method combined with an effective convergence-control technique. The three-dimensional spatial motion of point mass vehicles with realistic models is treated. The results of optimizing the problem point out the potential of new tactics. If the vehicles are free to maneuver in altitude, the contributions from the missiles will dominate the outcome of the game. Of particular importance is the desirable ability to enter the game at a higher altitude than that of the opponent.