Cost-Effective HWIL testing methodology for SALS guided missiles

Abstract

Verifying a new missile design requires a series of successful real-life tests on a firing range in various scenarios. Such an approach is extremely expensive and requires complex infrastructure and logistics. The costs of developing a new missile design can be significantly reduced by applying extensive and well thought out laboratory testing prior to any real-life test. Laboratory tests such as Hardware-In-The-Loop (HWIL) simulation enable the missile to be tested in a controlled environment inside a laboratory. HWIL testing methodology enables engineers to test the missile or its components in various simulated scenarios that correspond to real-life flights. Usually, a five-axis motion platform is used to perform HWIL simulation of terminal guidance. Three inner axes of the five-axis motion platform are used for simulation of the missiles body angles, while the two outer axes are used for simulation of the target movement relative to the missile. Such an approach requires spacious laboratories and expensive equipment. In this paper, we present a cost-effective HWIL testing methodology for Semi-Active-Laser-Seeker (SALS) guided missiles. The presented methodology requires only a three-axis motion platform and a fixed laser source. In the paper, we propose a two-stage HWIL testing procedure. In the first stage, the INS algorithm, guidance algorithm and autopilot algorithms are verified. In the second stage of the proposed HWIL testing methodology, the terminal guidance algorithm based on SALS angles is verified. Besides the HWIL testing methodology, we present the guidance law used in the testing procedure as well as the design of intercommunication between all the devices required to perform the tests. Next, the obtained results after each stage of the proposed HWIL testing methodology are presented and analyzed. Finally, a conclusion is drawn and limitations of the proposed testing methodology are explained.