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Flight control system for guided rolling-airframe missile

Conference Paper · March 2016

DOI: 10.1109/AERO.2016.7500499

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Flight Control System for Guided Rolling-airframe Missile
Saeb AmirAhmadi Chomachar Alireza Mohammadi Fard
Aerospace Eng., Aerospace Eng.,
AmirKabir University of Technology AmirKabir University of Technology
424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran. +98-912-647-2027
+98-939-469-7639 [email protected]
[email protected]

Abstract—A sampled-data system associated with the guided is such a tactical short-range missile that has very worthwhile
rolling-airframe missile (RAM) is digitally controlled. The characteristics. Various types of RAM could be used for
digital control system is open-loop and missile dynamics (pitch- airborne, naval and ground engagements. As the name
rate-to-elevator) is assumed to be of second-order type. The implies, guided RAM has a rolling airframe, it means it has a
square-wave input, corresponding to the elevator deflections,
revolving bank angle (for some reasons with a constant rate).
stabilizes system online output that is the rate of the line-of-sight
(LOS) angle. The output stabilization results in two-point The rolling bank angle brings with itself a challenge; the
guidance-law to be actively realized, hence the missile tricyclic motion. The tricyclic motion does not happen for
approaches the target until a hit. The guidance strategy is open- symmetric missiles, whereas, guided RAM is not symmetric
loop (it doesn’t require active homing), whereas the missile can because the need for cambered actuating fins obliges the
hit dynamic targets moving uniformly on a linear pathway. missile to be slightly asymmetric. The theory of the linear
Moreover, only the initial triggering of the missile is target- motion of a ‘slightly asymmetric’ missile was first developed
oriented and requires active target data, to be provided by a by Nicolaides [1]. The aerodynamic characteristic of a
visual device at the launch stage where the missile is to be slightly asymmetric missile is not very different from a
directly pointed towards the target before being fired. During
symmetric missile; however, in the case of asymmetric
the engagement, the missile is assumed to have constant roll-rate
(obtained at launch stage) and also constant forward velocity. missile, a constant amplitude force and moment are produced
The missile is also slightly asymmetric due to actuating fins whose orientations are fixed relative to the missile. This is the
geometry. Moreover, it could be assumed almost symmetric reason for a trim angle-of-attack that rolls with the missile
hence the linear motion theory analysis is valid. Meanwhile, as (tricyclic motion). For a constant roll-rate, the amplitude of
long as the roll-rate is not close to the pitch natural frequency, this trim angle-of-attack is in direct relation with the roll-rate,
the unwanted tricyclic motion is avoided and this is preferred. while the maximum angle occurs when the roll-rate equals
In the current study, and through the numerical simulations, the the natural frequency of pitch (resonance) [2]. In the current
roll-rate is so much higher than the pitch-rate, hence normally, study, it is assumed that roll equation is decoupled from pitch
the Magnus-moment and its accompanied tricyclic motion are
equation, hence Magnus-moments and their accompanied
not present. Novel ideas for technology development of surface-
to-air RAM (SARAM) and seaborne RAM (SEARAM) are induced tricyclic motion are not present. Moreover, the
presented. The simulations is performed in Matlab Simulink constant roll-rate of the missile is obtained at launch stage
software environment with discrete-time blocks. The miss- while it is as large as to be invariant during the engagement.
distance is almost zero and the simulations outcome is Besides attenuating the tricyclic motion, the constant roll-rate
satisfactory. as well provides an opportunity to apply a simple two-point
guidance strategy by sampled excitation of actuating fins.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The guided RAM technology has not been reported in the
1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 1 existing literature. In this research, a theoretical study
2. PITCH-RATE-TO-ELEVATOR DYNAMICS.............. 2 regarding technological development of flight control system
3. DESIGN OF GUIDANCE LAW.................................... 2 for guided RAM is presented. The sampled-data system
4. INITIAL TRIGGERING .............................................. 5 associated with the RAM is digitally controlled by an open-
5. TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES .................................. 6 loop strategy. The input to the missile system is square-wave;
corresponding to the elevator deflections (on-off actuation).
6. SIMULATIONS ....................................................... 6 The response of the second order system (missile) to the
7. SUMMARY ............................................................... 8 square wave input is stable, hence an open-loop guidance
NOMENCLATURE ..................................................... 8 strategy is available to nullify the system online output that is
REFERENCES............................................................... 8 the rate of the line-of-sight (LOS) angle. Based on this output
BIOGRAPHY ................................................................ 9 stabilization, two-point guidance-law is actively realized,
therefore, by keeping the rate of the LOS angle at zero, the
missile approaches the target until a hit. Missile passive
1. INTRODUCTION dynamics is assumed to be highly damped. The aerodynamic
turning-rate time-constant is assumed zero. It means the
Guided missiles are of major interest in warfare industry. missile swiftly responds to actuating fins deflection while the
Short-range tactical guided missiles play a critical role in response is highly damped. Meanwhile, the velocity vector is
military capabilities. Guided rolling-airframe missile (RAM) assumed to be tightly aligned with the missile axis of
978-1-4673-7676-1/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE

1
symmetry and this happens when the missile flies at high the axis of symmetry (longitudinal axis); hence, the angle-of-
speed. Taking all these into account then the angle-of-attack attack (α) could be assumed negligible. Meanwhile, the
is assumed almost negligible. During the engagement, the turning-rate JM is related to the angle-of-attack by Eq. (2);
missile is assumed to have constant roll-rate (obtained at
launch stage) and also constant forward velocity, while the see [5]:
target is at uniform motion on a linear pathway. The target is D
typically unaware of missile attack hence is supposed to JM (2)
move unswerving (on a linear pathway) during a possible TD
engagement scenario. In this study surface-to-air RAM Based on these assumptions, if the missile is aerodynamically
designed to be highly maneuverable ( J
(SARAM), sea-borne RAM (SEARAM) and surface-to-
surface RAM (SSRAM) which operates similar to SEARAM, M is comparatively
are theoretically studied. large) and also flies at high speed with small angle-of-attack
variation, then based on Eq. (2), Tα could be ignored and this
In the following, at first, the assumptions for the missile
was assumed in the simulation.
dynamics (transfer function) is given. Thereafter, guidance-
law together with the whole missile system for simulation is You should be notified that although the transfer function Eq.
portrayed. After describing the initial triggering process of (1) is in Laplace domain, however for numerical simulation
the missile, technology challenges are discussed and then we used a couple of discrete-time integrators to model missile
computer simulation is presented. dynamics.
2. PITCH-RATE-TO-ELEVATOR DYNAMICS 3. DESIGN OF GUIDANCE LAW
For guidance-law to be implemented, the missile dynamics Proportional navigation (PN) is a well-established and highly
should be already known. There are several mathematical reliable guidance-law which has had a long-standing history
models available for the inner-loop of a typical guidance of successful implementation. By PN, the line-of-sight (LOS)
system. In this study, the dynamics of the missile is modeled angle is kept constant. By keeping the LOS angle at constant
by pitch-rate-to-elevator transfer function. The open-loop (or by nullifying its rate), the missile and target move on a
response of the model to square-wave input (corresponding collision course and finally hit one another. The PN is utilized
to elevator deflections) is stable. This gives a free-hand to here to formulate a 3-D engagement, while the missile and
nullify system online output that is the rate of the line-of-sight target are normally on a common plane, hence the
(LOS) angle. Missile pitch-rate-to-elevator transfer function engagement, although is 3-D, could be considered co-planar
is usually assumed to be of second order type [3, 4]: as illustrated in Fig. 1. As discussed in the preceding section,
angle-of-attack (α) is assumed negligible. An example for an
T ( T D s )
b (1 engagement based on PN is illustrated in Fig. 2 where the
(1)
G s 2
2] s dashed lines are the LOS, while its orientation is kept
 AF  1 constant. The stair-case shows missile flight-path and it
ZAF2
ZAF should be noticed that, in a real-world engagement, the stair-
case is not necessarily observable and the missile path is
where Z AF is the airframe natural frequency and ζAF is the
continuous, however if the missile path is zoomed in, then the
airframe damping constant. Additionally, Tα is the stair-case trend could be possibly observed. This stair-case
aerodynamic-turning-rate time constant. In this study, it is trend is the result of sampled excitation of the actuating fins.
assumed that missile dynamics is highly damped (ζAF≈1) At each sample-time, the on-off actuation gives a small pitch-
and this is the goal of missile off-line aerodynamic design. If angle jump. The idea says if the missile is directly pointed
during the operation, the missile flies at a constant and towards target before being fired, and an open-loop strategy
noticeably high speed (at sea-level atmosphere), then the inspired by PN is implemented, then the goal of guidance that
velocity vector could be assumed to be tightly aligned with means hitting the target is achieved.

2
 Figure 1. Kinematics of missile-target engagement (two-point guidance) and the related parameters

Figure 2. An example for a missile-target engagement based on proportional navigation (PN)

PN has been the guidance-law utilized in this study, however be kept at zero, and the PN guidance-law is realized. It could
it is implemented by an open-loop strategy not a feedback be also viewed as a classical guided missile autopilot which
method. In contrast to classical guidance laws where the acts open-loop and in the reverse direction. Regarding the
inner-loop (guidance-loop) drives the outer-loop (body- current study, it should be noticed that in the real-world
loop), in this study and through the numerical simulation engagement, the missile acts open-loop and there is no
model, the outer-loop drives the inner-loop. It means, at the feedback loop or online controller, whereas for the simulation
block-diagram of the simulation model the body-loop is purpose, to verify and validate the proposed guidance
before the guidance-loop (the guidance strategy is open- strategy we need active target data to be provided by a
loop), while the whole idea is illustrated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3 numerical model. This numerical model is provided by a
the missile system which was assumed to be of second-order Matlab SimulinkTM model built with discrete-time blocks.
type, was modelled by two discrete-time integrators. As was The missile should be aerodynamically designed to have a
reported in the existing literature, sampled excitation of a desired passive response. Since there is no controller in the
second-order discrete model (the missile system in Fig. 3) by loop, for hitting certain class of targets, the passive
square-wave, outs a stable response. Subsequently, by aerodynamic design of the missile could be case-sensitive
sampled excitation of the missile actuating fins, the online and is a technology challenge.
output of the system that is the rate of the LOS angle, could

3
 Figure 3. The digital control system associated with the guided RAM (simulation model)

Fig. 4 illustrates the strategy which results in PN guidance. SEARAM which might have a mono-wing actuation setup,
The guidance strategy is implemented by sampled actuation if߶଴ ൌ Ͳ, the actuation happens as (+1, -1,…) at ߶ ൌ
of fins. It means after the first fin stroke which is event-based ݇ߨǡ ݇ ൌ Ͳǡ ͳǡ ʹǡ ǥ. Also notice that for SARAM the actuation
గ
(described at the next section), fins are actuated at a sample- happens as (+1, +1, -1, -1, …) at ߶ ൌ ݇ ǡ ݇ ൌ Ͳǡ ͳǡ ʹǡ ǥ.
గ ଶ
time of Tact =థሶ. This is illustrated by Fig. 4 where fins Meanwhile, for the purpose of simulation, based on the
stroke anytime they can produce a pitching moment discussions, all fin strokes (whether positive or negative) give
perpendicular to the engagement plane. It means if ߶ ൌ a pitch moment perpendicular to the engagement plane and at
గ గ the same direction, hence the fin stroke signal could be
߶଴ ൅ ‫ ; ݐ݌‬then p= (for two actuating fins) and p= (for
୘ୟୡ୲ ଶ୘ୟୡ୲ modelled by the sampled-data input illustrated by Fig. 4. This
four actuating fins). For example if ߶଴ ൌ Ͳ then fin actuation is true if the roll dynamics is taken into account. The cross
happens at any ߶ ൌ ݇ߨ (for mono-wing setup) and any ߶ ൌ fins are assumed to be similarly cambered such that missile's
గ
݇ (for cross-wing setup) where k={1, 2, 3, …}. For symmetry is respected and only slightly changed.
ଶ

Figure 4. Sampled actuation of fins

4
 4. INITIAL TRIGGERING
Here, the initial setup of the RAM is illustrated. Although it plane (RHP).
was already stated that RAM operates open-loop, however
the initial triggering is target-oriented or event-based. This In all the events, target is assumed to be in the inner circle of
mainly depends on the launch camera that has two duties. The the camera (see Fig. 5); it means the missile is almost directly
first is to directly point the missile towards target before the pointed towards the target before being fired. This happens
firing of the missile. The second is to trigger the missile if a as long as target is at the cross-hairs. Since the missile
certain event is spotted. The initial fin stroke (at trigger stage) operates open-loop; ߶଴ (the roll angle at which the missile
should give a missile pitch-moment perpendicular to the triggers), is not required to be processed, however it varies
engagement plane. This is what was graphically illustrated in continuously for various surface-to-air engagements.
Fig. 5. Initial triggering is event-based, it means the missile Additionally, for SEARAM, ߶଴ could be set to an offline
launch computer should be programmable to trigger if a constant value (e.g. zero), if the launcher is integrated with
desired event is spotted by the launcher camera. The trigger the vessel which has a known maneuver (also could be at
events are: stop) during a conflict scenario; see Fig. 6. Moreover, a
0 ≤ ϕ ≤ π (sin ϕ ≥0), OT perpendicular to AB, T in upper half- multiple RAM launcher, could fire at high rounds-per-minute
plane (UHP) (RPM) towards targets aggregation location and destroy them
π <ϕ <2π (sin ϕ <0), OT perpendicular to AB, T in lower half- in bulk; see Fig. 6.
plane (LWHP)
0 ≤ ϕ ≤ π (sin ϕ >0), OT perpendicular to CD, T in left half-
plane (LHP)
π < ϕ <2π (sin ϕ <0), OT perpendicular to CD, T in right half-

Figure 5. Missile active camera and the parameters for initial triggering

Figure 6. A possible conflict scenario for seaborne engagement (missile and target move at the same level)

5
 5. TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES
For technological development of guided RAM, there are specific challenges which is a technology problem.
several issues to be considered. For sea-borne RAM
(SEARAM), the engagement happens at the sea surface (the In addition to all was discussed, to avoid the tricyclic motion
missile and target are both on the same level). This is what mode in the RAM, the missile could be only slightly
makes the initial triggering an easy job in comparison to asymmetric to be governed by the linear motion theory. The
surface-to-air RAM (SARAM). SEARAM launcher could be need for actuating fins, poses a challenge for the missile's
integrated with the vessel, based on a presumed off-line symmetry, however it could be possibly coped with. All these
conflict scenario. It means some ideas could be weighed ‘how challenges together, give way to a daunting design job while
to initially trigger the SEARAM without active target if the missile is a rigid body, then the design is reduced from
homing’ and only with pointing the missile towards the target an aeroservoelastic problem to an aeroservo problem.
before firing it.
6. SIMULATIONS
For surface-to-air RAM (SARAM) the situation differs. Due
to three-dimensional engagement, the initial triggering In this section, simulation results are illustrated. Regarding
depends on active target data that is to be provided by a visual missile transfer function Eq. (1), the numerical values for
device, it means the initial triggering is certainly event-based. simulation are given as b=0.1, ωAF =1, ζAF =0.9, VM=0.1,
The main challenge for SARAM is the question, ‘could it be VT=0.01ξ͵ . Target inertial velocity components are:
shoulder-fired (as Stinger) or it requires large and probably VTx=0.01, VTy=0.01 and VTz=0.01 where ‘M’ denotes
weighty launcher setup?’ At the first sight it comes to mind Missile and ‘T’ denotes target. Notice that for a successful
that for the SARAM to obtain a relatively large constant roll- mission, missile's velocity should be sufficiently larger than
rate, there should be a heavy high-power still launcher, target's velocity. Moreover, x, y and z are inertial frame
however as the technology advances, there should be some coordinates. The sample-time of the Simulink model used for
ideas for a portable or shoulder-fired SARAM to be simulations is Ts=0.02. The initial distance from missile to
developed. Hence, for a portable SARAM to be developed, target is r0=0.5. Because an experimental prototype was not
the main challenge is the weight and power source, however in access, the numerical values are set as non-dimensional.
technological development of its dormant type could be an The simulation of missile-target real-world engagement is
easy job. Since sea targets are not very agile, hence multiple illustrated in Fig. 7 where missile’s flight-path trajectory is
fin actuation for high-rate sampling is not necessarily needed, shown in black and target’s is shown in blue. The rate of LOS
therefore SEARAM could have only two actuating fins angle is portrayed in Fig. 8. Notice that at the hit stage the
(monowing setup). Moreover, for SARAM to hit a dynamic lateral acceleration becomes extremely large and this is a
aerial target (which is typically faster than sea targets), high- known characteristic of the PN guidance strategy. In Fig. 9,
rate actuation is required and this is accomplished by four the distance from missile to target is plotted over time. As
actuating fins installed at cross. Surface-to-surface RAM you see, missile distance from target monotonically decreases
(SSRAM) operates as SEARAM and does not differ widely to zero. Fin deflections are portrayed in Fig. 10 as a constant
from that. It means as sea-borne engagement, the missile and signal of a value equal to one. Be warned that although the
target are almost at the same level (sea surface or earth fin deflection signal seems continuous, however it is of
surface) during the engagement. Hence, the idea of sampled-data type and is typically an on-off actuation. Also
SEARAM could be easily generalized to SSRAM. The other notice that a sampled constant signal is normally shown as a
challenge is the actuating fin frequency (strokes per second) continuous signal in computer simulations. By Fig. 11 we
and the feasible roll-rate. It means the higher is the fin arrive at the stable pitch-rate dynamics during the
actuation frequency and the higher is the roll-rate, the higher accomplished engagement. In Fig. 12 you see the plot of roll-
is the accuracy of the RAM. However, there is a trade-off for angle versus time. It also implies constant roll-rate while
గ
these high-rate actuation and high roll-rate and this yields a ϕ0=0. As illustrated by Fig. 4, Ԅሶ ൌ , henceԄሶ ൌp4 =750
ଶ்ೌ೎೟
design problem. Regarding the structural geometry of the rpm (revolution per minute). Fig. 12 illustrates the time signal
RAM, low-damping and high-maneuverability requires of roll-angle associated with a RAM with four actuating fins,
slender-body missile, however for a stable response, high each one strokes 25 times per second (frequency=25 Hz).
rigidity is of importance. It means the missile should have
high agility together with high rigidity. The aerodynamic (or
aeroelastic) design of slender-body missile is of its own

6
 0.5

0.45

0.06 0.4
0.05
Target flight-path
0.35
Missile flight-path
0.04

distance; r
0.3
0.03
z

0.25
0.02
0.2
0.01
0.15
0
0.06 0.1
0.8
0.04
0.6 0.05
0.02 0.4
0.2 0
0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
y x time (seconds)

Figure 7. Missile intercept of the target (simulation of Figure 9. Missile distance from target is strictly
real-world engagement) monotone decreasing to zero

10 2

9 1.8

8 1.6

7 1.4
fin deflection

6
1.2
dO /dt

5
1

4
0.8

0.6
3
0.4
2
0.2
1
0
0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
time (seconds) time (seconds)

Figure 10. Actuating fin deflections over time (the

Figure 8. Rate of LOS angle versus time
thick line is sampled-data and is discrete); on-off
actuation

7
 0.1
NOMENCLATURE
0.09
a M = Missile's lateral acceleration (latax)
0.08
λ = Line-of-sight (LOS) angle
0.07 Δz = deviation from LOS
dT/dt (pitch rate)

T= Target
0.06 M= Missile
0.05
V M = Missile's velocity vector
V T = Target's velocity vector
0.04 V C = closing velocity vector
Θ = pitch angle
0.03
r = distance from missile to target
0.02 X b = Missile's body x-orientation
α = angle-of-attack
0.01
δ = elevator deflection
0 ωAF =air-frame frequency
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
ζAF =air-frame damping
time (seconds)
s = Laplace domain variable
Tα = the aerodynamic-turning-rate time constant
Figure 11. Missile stable pitch-rate dynamics during
ߛሶெ = Missile's turning-rate
the accomplished engagement
p = roll rate
φ= roll angle
450
Tact = actuation sample time
400
z = Z-domain variable

350

REFERENCES
300
I (roll angle)

[1] J. D. Nicolaides, “On the Free Flight Motion of Missiles

250
Having Slight Configurational Asymmetries”. Ballistic
200
Research Laboratories Report No. 858, AD 26405, June
1953; also Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences Preprint
150 395, January 1953
100
[2] Charles H. Murphy, June 1972. “Generalized
50
Subharmonic Response of a Missile with Slight
Configurational Asymmetry”. BRL Report No. 1591.
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

time (seconds) [3] John H. Blakelock, “Automatic Control of Aircraft and

Missiles”. Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc,
Figure 12. Roll-angle versus time (constant roll-rate); February 1991, p. 49.
ϕ0=0
[4] Paul Zarchan, “Tactical and Strategic Missile Guidance”.
Third Edition, American Institute of Aeronautics and
7. SUMMARY Astronautics, Volume 176, Progress in Astronautics and
Aeronautics, A Volume in the AIAA Tactical Missile Series,
A theoretical study regarding design of flight control p. 474.
system for guided rolling-airframe missile (RAM) was
presented. It was shown that by sampled actuation of the [5] N. A. Shneydor, “Missile Guidance and Pursuit;
control surface it was possible to realize a two-point Kinematics, Dynamics and Control”. Horwood Publishing
guidance law hence missile and target moved on a collision Chichester, 1998, p. 73 & pp. 232-233.
course. Several challenges for technological development
of the missile were underlined. Simulation outcomes
proved the feasibility of the theoretical design plan.

8
 BIOGRAPHY

Saeb AmirAhmadi C. was born

on 4th July 1984 in Rasht,
Guilan, Iran. He holds an
M.Sc. in aerospace engineering
(flight mechanics) from the
AmirKabir University of
Technology (Tehran
Polytechnic). He has served as
a reviewer for the IEEE
(Aerospace and Electronic
Systems, Transactions on),
AIAA (Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics) and
ASME-IMECE-2012. His research interests are flight
dynamics and controls in general and particularly the
aeroservoelasticity. He is also an active researcher on
dynamics (fluids and solids), stabilization, vibration, and
optimization.
Alireza Mohammadi Fard was
born in 1986 in Tehran, Iran, and
is currently a Ph. D. student in
aerospace engineering (flight
mechanics) at the Center of
Excellence in Flight Dynamics
and Controls; the Aerospace
Engineering Department of the
AmirKabir University of
Technology (AUT), Tehran, Iran,
where he studied towards receiving the M.Sc. degree since
2008 until 2011. As well, he holds a B.Sc. in aerospace
engineering from the AUT. He has been involved in both
theoretical and practical aspects of his course. His areas
of interest are: control and guidance of autonomous
vehicles, modeling and simulation, flight trajectory design
and optimization and optimal Control.

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