Some aspects of a realistic three-dimensional pursuit-evasion game

A three-dimensio nal pursuit-evasion game between a realistic missile and an aircraft is studied employing point-mass models for both vehicles. Since a direct method to solve this complicated mini-max problem is too time-consuming, the study is conducted by carrying out massive simulations in the parameter space of initial conditions and guidance law parameters. The important role of information in the opponent's acceleration to the game and the effectiveness of the strategy in rotating the line-of-sight vector are shown. It is found that there exist very few cases where the aircraft can avoid the missile, among them typical air-combat maneuvers such as linear acceleration, high-£ barrel roll, split-S, and horizontal-S. Nomenclature flcmax = missile lateral acceleration command limit Ompjdmy = missile acceleration components measured in aircraft pitch and yaw axis, respectively ^p^y^pc^yc = missile-pitch and yaw-axis lateral accelerations and their command signals OpttOyt = aircraft-desir ed pitch and yaw acceleration components, respectively Otp9oty = aircraft acceleration components measured in missile pitch and yaw axis, respectively CD = drag coefficient CDO