Design and simulation of an intelligent missile seeker

An intelligent tracking algorithm for an IR imaging missile seeker and a method of evaluating its performance in simulated flight is described. The missile is a fire-and-forget, shoulder-launched, anti-tank weapon that lofts to an altitude of approximately 150 meters and then homes toward the target using proportional guidance. A gyro stabilized seeker is precessed to the target by pointing commands. These pointing commands are developed from an imaging sensor by a new tracking algorithm that performs well in a highly cluttered background. Both the tracking algorithm design and its evaluation in missile flights were accomplished using a digital computer simulation called HUGGER. This program includes a 6 degree-of-freedom missile simulation, a detailed seeker model, a three-dimensional model of the target, a two-dimensional background model, and the intelligent tracking algorithm. Sensor images of the target as seen from the missile are formed on a 64 x 128 pixel infrared charge coupled device array. The algorithm utilizes three features within the image: intensity, spatial frequency, and internal gradients. A multithresholding technique is also described which enhances target discrimination.