Optimal Aircraft Maneuvering Models for Cruise Missile Engagement: a Modeling and Computational Study

Given the increased threat and proliferation of adversary military capabilities, this research seeks to develop reasonably accurate and computationally tractable models to optimally maneuver aircraft to intercept cruise missile attacks. The research leveraged mathematical programming to model the problem, informed by constraints representing a system of (temporal) difference equations. The research began by comparing six models having alternative representations of velocity and acceleration constraints while analyzing situations with stationary targets. The Multiple Aircraft, Multiple Stationary Target Engagement Problem with Box Constraint Bounds (MAMSTEP-BC) Model yielded superior overall performance and was further analyzed through alternative mathematical programming model enhancements to create feasible flight profiles, in terms of leveraging a valid sequence of maneuvers. Lastly, the MAMSTEP-BC model was modified to maneuver aircraft to engage moving targets. This model proved effective with multiple aircraft and multiple targets when optimizing the time needed to engage. MAMSTEP-BC was able to maintain a high-level of granularity by accounting for aircraft and pilot limitations while managing to generate optimal solutions quickly for both stationary and moving targets