A minimum-exposure, minimum-elevation military aircraft heuristic route selection model

Abstract

An heuristic route selection model is presented for developing military aircraft routes through hostile terrain. The capability of modern air defence systems has forced military aircraft to utilize low level flight to avoid detection and increase survivability. By identifying the high and low elevation points within an area, the model determines their exposure values, which are used with their height and internode distance to calculate a penalty for flying to a point from the current position. In developing a route, the model utilizes basic information concerning air defence deployment, initial and destination points, and terrain data, to specify a minimum-exposure, minimum-elevation route. The results include the development of eight routes for 10 by 10 km areas, and six larger terrain areas varying in size from 20 by 20 km to 35 by 35 km. Validation shows the heuristic to be extremely competitive with visual procedures, and to require considerably less time.