Optimal Control of Sensor Threshold for Autonomous Wide Area Search Munitions

Abstract

The optimal employment of autonomous wide area search munitions is addressed. The scenario considered involves an airborne munition searching a battle space for stationary targets in the presence of false targets. Targets are modelled with uniform, Poisson, and normal distributions. False targets are modelled with Poisson distributions. All relevant parameters can be extracted from intelligence information on the enemy's order of battle and the sensor performance specification. Analytic weapon effectiveness measures are derived using applied probability theory. The effectiveness measures derived in this paper handle time-varying parameters which characterize the battle space environment and the performance of the munition's sensor. This allows the formation and solution of optimization problems that maximize the probability of a target attack while at the same time constraining the probability of a false target attack. Optimal schedules for controlling the sensor threshold during the flight are derived and compared to the optimal constant-threshold results. An increase in weapon effectiveness is demonstrated when the sensor threshold is dynamically controlled during the flight.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA445097

Entities

People

  • Brian A. Kish
  • David R. Jacques
  • Meir Pachter

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Classification
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Equations Of State
  • False Targets
  • Geometry
  • Munitions
  • Normal Distribution
  • Operations Research
  • Order Of Battle
  • Probability
  • Standards
  • Time Intervals
  • Unmanned Vehicles
  • Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Mathematical Modeling and Probability Theory.
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers