A target tracking algorithm that reduces designation time for laser guided weapons

Barry G. Sherlock; Yogendra P. Kakad; Bryan J. Freeman

doi:10.1117/12.602597

19 May 2005 A target tracking algorithm that reduces designation time for laser guided weapons

Barry G. Sherlock, Yogendra P. Kakad, Bryan J. Freeman

Proceedings Volume 5810, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing XIX; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.602597
Event: Defense and Security, 2005, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

We propose a new approach for laser guided weapon guidance that minimizes the total active laser target designation time. The weapon makes use of inertial or GPS guidance within a Kalman filtering framework, and maintains covariance information indicating the uncertainty of its knowledge of the weapon-to-target vector. At any time, the missile needs to be sure that it can navigate to any point within the area around the target that is described by this covariance. Therefore, at each moment during the flight, there exists a covariance threshold above which the weapon cannot guarantee its ability to navigate to the target. This threshold will decrease with time as the weapon-to-target distance decreases. In our proposed approach, when the threshold is exceeded, the weapon requests a brief laser designation of the target. The laser designation provides an accurate measurement of the bearing of the target with respect to the missile, and this is used to improve the estimate of the weapon-to-target vector. In turn, this can be fed back into the Kalman filter to improve the internal state estimate. By minimizing laser designation time, this approach reduces the chance of compromise of the designation agent, and of the fact that targeting is taking place. It also achieves the benefit of improving the accuracy of the underlying inertial or other navigational system, or alternatively the estimate of absolute target position.

Citation Download Citation

Barry G. Sherlock, Yogendra P. Kakad, and Bryan J. Freeman "A target tracking algorithm that reduces designation time for laser guided weapons", Proc. SPIE 5810, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing XIX, (19 May 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.602597

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available