Adaptive optimization of ballistic dispersion for maneuvering target interception

Anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) systems are effective defense countermeasures for close-in and low altitude air targets. For the interception of maneuvering target, deliberate increase of the ballistic dispersion can be rewarding. To this point, adaptive optimization method of ballistic dispersion is employed to a type of 37mm AAA system to enhance its effectiveness for intercepting cruise missile which is capable of making zigzag evading maneuver. The goal of adaptive optimization is to achieve the highest kill probability by automatically adjusting the ballistic dispersion according to the estimated maneuver range. The pattern search method, which needs no gradient information from the objective function, is chosen for searching the optimal solution. Simulation results reveal that adaptive ballistic dispersion can improve the kill probability by thirty percent for maneuvering target interception.