A Computational Chemistry Approach to Signature Mechanisms of High Altitude Maneuvering Missiles

Emerging missile threats to Army assets often fly through and maneuver at higher altitudes. In addition, Army interceptors launch from the ground and will likewise need to fly through / maneuver at higher altitudes to engage such threats. The associated changes in flight conditions cause threat and interceptor signatures to change substantially from those usually observed by Army sensors and seekers. Under such conditions, new chemical signature mechanisms as well as non-equilibrium flow conditions become important. These mechanisms must be taken into account when developing sensors and algorithms for detection, tracking, and guidance, and when developing methods to distinguish between friend-or-foe. Spectral Sciences Inc. (SSI) proposes an innovative approach of first-principles computational chemistry modeling plus measurements of the associated mechanisms. The mechanisms will be characterized by chemical databases and used to upgrade DoD plume signature codes currently used by the Army and other DoD agencies. The upgraded codes will be used to generate signatures which will then be validated against field data. Differences between predicted and observed signatures will subsequently be used to modify/update the underlying mechanisms and chemical databases and to assess the accuracy of the methods.