Sensor independent engagement decision processing
First Claim
1. A method for engaging a target, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sensors for producing track data representing target tracks;
projecting said track data forward in time to generate projected target tracks;
evaluating said projected target tracks and associating an estimated quality measure with each projected target track;
for each of a plurality of interceptor missiles, listing at least characteristics of (a) maximum seeker look angle with associated uncertainty, (b) acceleration or other kinematic capability, (c) seeker beamwidth, and (d) net radar sensitivity;
determining a plurality of target intercept times for each of a plurality of types of interceptor missiles;
for each of said plurality of target intercept times, using said projected target tracks, said estimated quality measures, and said characteristics to determine, for each of said plurality of interceptors missiles, a probability that the interceptor missile can acquire said target;
determining, for each of said plurality of interceptor missile types, a probability of hitting the target from the projected target track quality, the probability of acquisition of a particular type of interceptor missile, and the acceleration or other kinematic characteristics of said interceptor missile type;
determining which type of said plurality of interceptor missiles to use by aggregating said probabilities of acquisition and probabilities of hitting said target, andselecting an interceptor missile of said plurality of interceptor missiles having one of (a) an extreme value of the resulting aggregation and (b) the earliest intercept time from among those interceptors having a resulting aggregation above a minimum value.
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Abstract
A method for engaging a target uses sensors to generate target track(s). The tracks are projected forward in time and associated with a track quality measure. The maximum seeker look angle and beamwidth, acceleration, and net radar sensitivity characteristics are listed for each type of interceptor. A plurality of target intercept times are generated for each interceptor type. The probability that the interceptor can acquire the target is determined from the projected target tracks, the quality measure, and the characteristics. The probability of hitting the target is determined from the probability of acquisition and acceleration of the interceptor type. The probabilities of acquisition and of hitting the target are aggregated, and the type of interceptor to use is the type having (a) an extreme value of the aggregation or (b) the earliest intercept time from among the interceptors having an aggregation value above a threshold value.
75 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for engaging a target, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of sensors for producing track data representing target tracks; projecting said track data forward in time to generate projected target tracks; evaluating said projected target tracks and associating an estimated quality measure with each projected target track; for each of a plurality of interceptor missiles, listing at least characteristics of (a) maximum seeker look angle with associated uncertainty, (b) acceleration or other kinematic capability, (c) seeker beamwidth, and (d) net radar sensitivity; determining a plurality of target intercept times for each of a plurality of types of interceptor missiles; for each of said plurality of target intercept times, using said projected target tracks, said estimated quality measures, and said characteristics to determine, for each of said plurality of interceptors missiles, a probability that the interceptor missile can acquire said target; determining, for each of said plurality of interceptor missile types, a probability of hitting the target from the projected target track quality, the probability of acquisition of a particular type of interceptor missile, and the acceleration or other kinematic characteristics of said interceptor missile type; determining which type of said plurality of interceptor missiles to use by aggregating said probabilities of acquisition and probabilities of hitting said target, and selecting an interceptor missile of said plurality of interceptor missiles having one of (a) an extreme value of the resulting aggregation and (b) the earliest intercept time from among those interceptors having a resulting aggregation above a minimum value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for engaging a target, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of sensors for producing track data representing target tracks; projecting said track data forward in time to generate projected target tracks including target state and covariance; evaluating said projected target tracks and associating an estimated quality measure with each projected target track; for a plurality of interceptor missiles, listing at least characteristics of (a) maximum seeker look angle, (b) maximum acceleration or other kinematic capability, (c) net radar sensitivity (d) seeker beamwidth, and (e) interceptor autopilot lag; determining a plurality of target intercept times for each of a plurality of types of interceptor; for each of said plurality of target intercept times, and using said projected target tracks, said quality measures, and said characteristics, determining, for each of said plurality of interceptors, a target acquisition probability mass function; determining, for each of said plurality of types of interceptor, one of a conditional probability of kinematics and a probability mass function of the probability of kinematics; determining an instantaneous probability of guidance or probability of hitting the target as an aggregation which is the product of (a) the target acquisition probability mass function and (b) said one of the conditional probability of kinematics and the probability mass function of the probability of kinematics; and selecting as the type of interceptor to be launched that type of interceptor having an extreme value of the resulting aggregation. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for engaging a target, said system including:
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a plurality of types of interceptor missiles, each of which types defines (a) a radar-based seeker defining characteristics of a maximum look angle with associated uncertainty, seeker beamwidth, and net radar sensitivity, and (b) a characteristic of maximum acceleration or other kinematic limit; a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors for producing track data representing target tracks; a filter arrangement coupled to said sensors for projecting said track data forward in time to generate projected target tracks; a quality association processor coupled to said filter arrangement for evaluating said projected target tracks and for associating an estimated quality measure with each projected target track to produce at least target states and covariance; a target intercept time processor coupled to said quality association processor, for determining, from at least said target states and covariance, a plurality of target intercept times for each of said types of interceptor missiles; a target acquisition processor for, for each of said plurality of intercept times, and using at least said projected target tracks, said quality measures, and said characteristics, determining, for each of said types of interceptor missiles, a probability that the interceptor missile type can acquire said target; a target hit probability processor for determining, for each of said interceptor missile types, a probability of hitting the target from the estimated quality measure, the probability that the interceptor missile can acquire the target, and the acceleration or other kinematic characteristics of said interceptor missile type; and an interceptor missile type identification processor for determining which type of interceptor missile to use for engaging said target by aggregating said probabilities of acquisition and probabilities of hitting said target, and for selecting as the type of interceptor missile that type having one of (a) an extreme value of the resulting aggregation and (b) the earliest intercept time from among those interceptors having the resulting aggregation above a minimum value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for engaging a target, comprising:
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a plurality of types of interceptor missiles; a plurality of sensors for producing track data representing target tracks associated with a sensed target; a filter arrangement coupled to said plurality of sensors for projecting said track data forward in time to generate projected target tracks; a quality association processor coupled to said filter arrangement for evaluating said projected target tracks and for associating an estimated quality measure with each projected target track; a target intercept time processor coupled to said quality association processor, for determining, using said estimated quality measure, a plurality of target intercept times for each of said types of interceptor missiles; a target acquisition processor for determining, for each of said plurality of intercept times and for each of said types of interceptor missiles, a probability that the interceptor missile type can acquire said target; a target hit probability processor for determining, for each of said types of interceptor missiles, a probability of hitting the target using the quality measure and the probability that the interceptor missile can acquire the target; and an interceptor missile type identification processor for determining which type of interceptor missile to use for engaging said target by aggregating said probability of acquisition and probability of hitting said target, and for selecting as the type of interceptor missile to use for engaging said target that type of interceptor missile having one of (a) an extreme value of the resulting aggregation and (b) an earliest intercept time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification