Effects of Hardbody-Plume Interactions on Radar Returns

Characteristics of missile plume RCS have a great potential to enhance defensive capabilities in several areas related to Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS). Supporting MDA"s engineering applications related to missile typing, discrimination, tracking, algorithm development, etc. requires estimation of many parameters by the plume models, which can be very expensive for complex targets that are not easily measured. High-fidelity, 3D plume modeling of threat systems is now at an advanced stage, utilizing a MDA-sponsored highly efficient, 3D CFD plume models; however, comparable capabilities are not available for corresponding RCS predictions. The Phase II will demonstrate an advanced 3D Vector Finite Element (VFE) RCS model for performing RCS predictions of 3D effects in plumes, which can strongly shift the Doppler spectrum of the plume from the hardbody return. The Phase II will demonstrate this 3D plume RCS modeling tool as mature for supporting production-oriented analysis, with applicability to the tracking of post-burnout debris for solid motors also.