OPTIMAL PLANAR INTERCEPTION WITH TERMINAL CONSTRAINTS

In this paper, planar interception laws for maneuvering targets with k nown trajectories are presented. Optimal interception problems are def ined, which include constraints on the initial and final flight path a ngles of the interceptor. For cases where the initial flight-path angl e can be freely assigned, it is included in the optimization problem, Analytical solutions for the planar interception problems are derived. Numerical examples that demonstrate the optimal trajectories are pres ented showing also the effect of the interceptor initial Eight-path an gle on the interception characteristics. It is shown that when the int erceptor initial conditions can be optimized superior performance is o btained.