Investigation of the Use of Acceleration Estimates by Endgame Guidance Laws

The objective of the work described in this report is to investigate the use of target acceleration by endgame guidance laws. The approach used in this report is based on a covariance simulation that bounds the error covariance of the estimated states with the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the system. The use of the CRLB allows the guidance law performance to be evaluated independently of specific filter designs, while the use of a covariance simulation minimizes the need for expensive and time consuming Monte-Carlo simulations. Together, the CRLB and covariance simulation constitute an efficient analysis tool for investigating tradeoffs and fundamental performance limitations in endgame engagements. The CRLB covariance simulation is developed for the endgame engagement system. The analysis capabilities of the CRLB simulation are demonstrated by an application to an endgame engagement involving a model of a Bank-to-Turn missile.