Flight Course Maneuver Optimization for a Fighter Jet in a Threatened Area
Modern integrated air-defense systems (IADS) equipped with advanced surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) pose a significant threat to fighter jets conducting strike missions against ground targets. To successfully deliver the munition, the aircraft must satisfy conflicting operational objectives. Increasing the release distance generally requires higher release altitudes, adding climb exposure time and reducing maneuverability at an altitude where the interceptor missile possesses a kinematic advantage. Conversely, low-altitude releases require the aircraft to penetrate deeper into the threat envelope. Determining the optimal balance between these competing effects constitutes a complex trajectory optimization problem.
This work presents a computational framework for maximizing aircraft survivability during a strike mission in a defended environment. The engagement is simulated using coupled three-degree-of-freedom dynamic models of the aircraft, munition, and intercepting missile. The aircraft trajectory is formulated as a constrained optimal control problem consisting of a climb phase leading to weapon release and an evasive maneuver. Aircraft performance limitations, weapon-release constraints, atmospheric effects, and missile guidance are incorporated into the simulation to provide a realistic representation of the engagement.
The proposed methodology determines the optimal mission conditions, including toss altitude & Mach number, climb geometry, and escape trajectory, by maximizing the missile miss distance while ensuring successful weapon delivery. A modular optimization framework is developed to accommodate both direct optimal control methods and conventional optimization algorithms, enabling efficient evaluation of alternative mission strategies.
Simulation results demonstrate the inherent tradeoff between weapon employment feasibility and aircraft survivability. An optimal energy-management strategy emerges that balances aircraft maneuverability, exposure time, and weapon range, providing survivability against advanced air-defense threats.
This work is towards an M.Sc. degree under the supervision of Prof. Joseph Z. Ben-Asher, The Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Technion.
