Best-Range Study for a Boost-Sustain Missile

Abstract

Midcourse guidance is examined for an air-to-air missile featuring boost-sustain propulsion. A vertical plane, point-mass model is studied with load factor as a control variable. Time-range-energy optimal trajectories are computed, open-loop, via the usual necessary conditions and a multiple-shooting algorithm. A requirement on terminal velocity magnitude is examined for its effect on firing range.