NOISE-ADAPTIVE, PREDICTIVE PROPORTIONAL NAVIGATION (NAPPN) GUIDANCE SCHEME

A method for augmenting the value of range uplink information in a predictive proportional navigation terminal guidance scheme. A second order configuration, with noise adaptive varying gain parameters calculated as a function of time-to-go, is particularly useful for high altitude, minimally maneuvering targets. This configuration results in acceptable miss distances, better than conventional proportional navigation, with sensitivity to unmodeled errors being substantially less than that in modern guidance systems. A third order configuration makes enhanced use of range uplink information to provide improved terminal guidance against lower altitude maneuvering targets. The sensitivity of the third order configuration is similar to that of conventional proportional navigation but with better miss distance results.