Game theory for automated maneuvering during air-to-air combat

A game-matrix approach has been developed to generate intelligent maneuvering decisions for low-flying aircraft during one-on-one air combat over hilly terrain. The decisions are made by comparing scores based on the predicted orientation, range, velocity, and terrain clearance for various maneuver combinations of both aircraft. A computer program implements the decision process in real time and computes the state of the aircraft employing the selected maneuvers. Predicted states are obtained by numerically integrating the dynamic equations. The program has been installed and demonstrated at the NASA Ames vertical motion simulator to provide an automated adversary for manned helicopter combat simulations. A stand-alone version of the program, in which the decisions of both combatants are generated by the computer, has also been prepared for nonpiloted simulations. Sample trajectories show that this new automated maneuvering logic generates some of the tactics employed by experienced pilots in combat flight tests. Whereas the current application applies to helicopter combat, the program can be used for fixed-wing aircraft by replacing those subroutines that provide the aircraft capabilities.