ROBUST SOLUTION OF A TIME-VARIABLE INTERCEPTION PROBLEM: A CHEAP CONTROL APPROACH

A planar interception problem of a maneuverable target is considered using the linearized kinematic model with variable velocities and first-order dynamics of the interceptor and target. The maneuverabilities of the interceptor and target are assumed to be variable. By using an auxiliary zero-sum linear-quadratic differential game with cheap controls of both players, an interception guidance law, linear with respect to the state vector, is derived. An analytical description of the set of initial positions (capture set) is obtained, from which this guidance law provides zero miss distance, subject to given maneuverabilities of the interceptor and target. A numerical example illustrating the analytical results is presented.