Nonlinear Guidance Laws for Anti-tank Guided Missile to Intercept Maneuvering Tank Targets Using Optimal Error Dynamics and Relative Virtual Model

This paper introduces a new method for synthesizing guidance laws for anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) to intercept maneuvering tank targets. It utilizes a nonlinear relative model in the two-dimensional horizontal plane and optimal error dynamics (OED) theory. The nonlinear relative model simplifies the problem of targeting a moving target into attacking a stationary target, making the guidance law synthesis task easier. The selection of OED allows for the design of a guidance command that ensures the zero effort miss (ZEM) error decreases to zero within a finite time, ensuring successful target interception. The paper also introduces an exponential decay weighting function of remaining time-to-go to optimize the distribution of command accelerations throughout the guidance process, thereby reducing initial command requirements and converging acceleration commands towards zero at the end time. The synthesized guidance laws are derived based on the nonlinear relative model and OED without making any small-angle linearization assumptions, allowing them to address various nonlinear scenarios. Numerical simulations illustrate the proposed guidance law’s performance. © 2024, Departamento de Ciencia e Tecnologia Aeroespacial. All rights reserved.