Performance analysis of differential geometric guidance law against high-speed target with arbitrarily maneuvering acceleration

Abstract

The interception of high-speed target with an arbitrary maneuvering acceleration causes serious troubles to the guidance and control system design of airborne missile. A novel guidance law based on the classical differential geometry curve theory was proposed not long ago. Although it is believed and numerically demonstrated that this differential geometric guidance law (DGGL) is superior to the classical pure proportional navigation (PPN) in intercepting high-speed targets, its performance has not been thoroughly analyzed. In this paper, using the Lyapunov-like approach, the performance of DGGL against the high-speed target with an arbitrary but upper-bounded maneuvering acceleration is well studied. The upper bounds of the LOS rate and commanded acceleration of DGGL are obtained, and conditions that guarantee the capture of this type of maneuvering target are also presented. The nonlinear relative dynamics between the missile and target is taken into full account. Finally, the proposed theoretical findings are demonstrated by numerical simulation examples.