Three-dimensional cooperative surrounding and capturing guidance for intercepting superior target with multi-constraints

A three-dimensional cooperative surrounding and capturing guidance (3D-CSCG) is proposed for the cooperative interception against a superior target in the fighter aircraft's self-protection. The interceptors with lower velocity and inferior acceleration compared to the target need to satisfy constraints including impact angle, cooperation time and limited overload. The 3D-CSCG is designed to enable the interceptor group to surround and capture the target cooperatively by leveraging the numerical superiority of the interceptor group. To solve this problem, this paper firstly designs a dynamic capturing strategy based on the projection coverage method of the threedimensional reachable domain. This strategy predicts the target maneuvering domain through the covariance method to ensure the effectiveness of cooperative interception and provide interception conditions. Moreover, this strategy is also the basis for the coupled cooperative guidance problem, realizing a truly integrated design of cooperative guidance. Secondly, to address the cooperative guidance problem, numerical guidance method based on model predictive static programming (MPSP) is employed. The efficacy, superiority, sensitivity, and robustness of the 3D-CSCG guidance law are systematically assessed through a series of numerical simulations including the comparisons with the cooperative biased proportional navigation guidance Law (CBPNG).