Falco M. Development and analysis of tank evasion strategies in missile effectiveness models

Army Tank-Automotive Research And Development Command, Warren, MI, 1977. — 54 p.This report presents a new methodology with which to analyze the survivability of tank vehicles to anti-tank missile threats. The approach employs elements of optimal control theory, stochastic learning theory, and dynamical simulation in a computational method which determines tank evasive maneuvering strategy as an integral part of the survivability analysis. The method develops an optimal strategy in the sense of maximizing tank survival probability for all missile launch conditions. The strategy is in the form of a feedback control policy based upon a discretized set of information states which are assumed available to the tank commander as visual or warning system cues. Computational results for both the survivability and associated optimal evasive maneuvering are presented for an M-60 class tank vehicle and an anti-tank missile representative of an upgraded foreign threat system. The results illustrate how the methodology can be employed to assist in quantifying survivability tradeoffs involving tank threat warning systems, evasive maneuver computer systems, and acceleration, deceleration, and turning performance specifications.