Simulation Tool to Intercept Multiple Missiles Employing Quick and Random Evasive Flight Path

This proposal is for the development of a versatile, computationally-efficient simulation tool for integrating flight path data from missile interceptors and analyzing defensive missile scenarios. The simulation tool will provide a user-friendly platform for design and testing of cooperative missile-interception techniques. We also propose to develop innovative cooperative control algorithms for multiple interceptors pursuing multiple missiles. Our cooperative control algorithms will be based on using artificial potentials for determining command accelerations for individual interceptors. The artificial potentials framework provides a systematic procedure for designing and implementing formation control and reconfiguration. We will combine artificial potential based cooperative control with modern target detection and missile guidance techniques to create an integrated solution for cooperative missile interception. This will be a step towards developing reliable technology for countering missiles that are specifically designed to elude interceptors via quick and random flight path changes. The simulation tool will be modular in nature, and will incorporate all aspects of cooperative missile interception including search-surveillance-engage modes, formation control and reconfiguration, inter-interceptor communication limitations, resource management and flight path data fusion. Interceptor performance constraints such as minimum turning radius and maximum velocity, as well as time-varying communication topologies will be accounted.