Trajectory optimization designing using multi-tier approach for intercepting TBM/ASM

A multi-tier approach to the midcourse trajectory design for a surface-to-air missile to maximize the kill probability for intercepting tactical ballistic missile (TBM) and air-to-surface missile (ASM) was presented. The missile's intercepting process was divided into three tiers, which were the midcourse trajectory, the terminal homing phase and the warhead damaging process. The midcourse trajectory was optimized with a constraint on the value of pitch angle at the handover point to the terminal phase. The pitch angle was the global parameter to combine the first and second tier in generating a field of optimum midcourse trajectories. The second-tier was a Monte-Carlo terminal homing simulation to get the average and standard deviation of miss distance, which combined the second-tier and the third-tier. The third-tier calculated the missile's kill probability by using the average and standard deviation of miss distance. The midcourse trajectory which maximized the kill probability was the optimal result of the system. The multi-tier approach demonstrates the connectivity between the midcourse trajectory design and the kill probability. It makes the kill probability be a measure in the midcourse trajectory optimization. Two cases of intercepting a TBM and an ASM are presented in the end.