Ideal trajectory shaping for anti-armor missiles via time optimal controller autopilot

Claim 1

A missile guidance system for guiding a missile in a predetermined trajectory to impact with a target, said trajectory including initial pitchup, cruise, and attitude transition portions, said guidance system including: a seeker carried by said missile for tracking said target; said seeker having a yaw rate channel that is directly connected to an autopilot for controlling flight of the missile by proportional navigation in the yaw plane; a pitch programmer connected to said autopilot for controlling flight of the missile in the pitch plane during said pitchup and cruise portions; and means for controlling the missile in pitch during said attitude transition portion including, threshold detector and time optimal controller means connected for receiving pitch gimbal angle signals from said seeker and pitch attitude signals from missile dynamics and missile attitude and sensor of the missile for causing said time optimal controller to apply full control surface movement to missile control surface actuator means of the missile to cause the missile to pitch down sharply toward the target under control of said time optimal controller.