The implementation of the optimal guidance laws derived from the optimal control theory requires accurate current states of target, for example, position, velocity and acceleration. If the target states are not measured directly, they may be estimated from other available measurements. However, with angles-only measurements, the direct application of the optimal guidance laws may result in deterioration of observability, thereby producing poor miss distance performance.
In this paper, a trajectory modulation method called "adaptive intermittent maneuvering" is added to the optimal guidance laws, to enhance target observability and, consequently, intercept performance. The estimation algorithm called "modified gain pseudo-measurement filter" is used as tracking filter. Monte Carlo simulations for several realistic air-to-air intercept scenarios are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the adaptive intermittent maneuver proposed here.
