Motion Models for use with the Maneuvering Ballistic Missile Tracking Estimators

Ballistic target interception requires high accuracy in order to achieve kinetic hit-to-kill performance. Since the task becomes more challenging when the target performs complex maneuvers, highly accurate state estimators are indispensable for successful ballistic target interception. This research focuses on developing filter motion models which can reproduce a wide variety of target motions which include intelligent evasive maneuvers. The proposed filtering technique is expected to improve tracking performance for a maneuvering target undergoing unpredictable motions, which will eventually reduce the miss distance of the ballistic target interception. The feasibility of the developed motion models is demonstrated through numerical tracking simulations, and the performance is compared with that of conventional filter motion models.