Hardware in the loop simulation for homing missiles

Abstract

In this paper, we present a new method of testing the guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system of missiles with homing guidance based on image processing homing head. Testing of the GNC system of the homing missile is usually carried out on a five axis or three axis motion simulator in the hardware in the loop (HWIL) environment. HWIL testing on a five axis motion simulator is applicable to all guidance systems regardless of the type of detector used in the homing head, but equipping the laboratory is at least two times more expensive compared to the new method of testing presented here. The goal of this paper is to present a relatively cheap, simple and effective way of testing the guidance systems in cases when the type of detector used in the homing head is either television (TV) or Infra-Red (IR) camera, more precisely when image processing homing heads are used.