Data link effects on weapon accuracy

A digital simulation to investigate the ability of a human operator to guide a weapon via a data link is described. A human model and a generic data link model were implemented in a 6-DOF simulation of the weapon. It was found that significant operator-induced noise (remnant) was present, and some of the human transfer function parameters differed considerably from values found in previously reported work. A solution to the tracking stability problem is postulated in the form of a display augmentation element, referred to as a seeker position indicator, that estimates the seeker angular motion over the time-delay interval. A modified approach using a Kalman estimator to filter the command signal and to estimate command rate-of-change was also investigated. Both solutions stabilize the system, decrease operator workload, and improve terminal weapon accuracy. Model predictions are compared with test data obtained using a breadboard data link in a man-in-the-loop simulator. Good correlation is shown