Analytical game strategies for active UAV defense considering response delays

Abstract

In the realm of aerial warfare, the protection of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) against adversarial threats is crucial. In order to balance the impact of response delays and the demand for onboard applications, this paper derives three analytical game strategies for the active defense of UAVs from differential game theory, accommodating the first-order dynamic delays. The targeted UAV executes evasive maneuvers and launches a defending missile to intercept the attacking missile, which constitutes a UAV-Missile-Defender (UMD) three-body game problem. We explore two distinct operational paradigms: the first involves the UAV and the defender working collaboratively to intercept the incoming threat, while the second prioritizes UAV self-preservation, with independent maneuvering away from potentially sacrificial engagements. Starting with model linearization and order reduction, the Collaborative Interception Strategy (CIS) is first derived via a linear quadratic differential game formulation. Building upon CIS, we further explore two distinct strategies: the Informed Defender Interception Strategy (IDIS), which utilizes UAV maneuvering information, and the Unassisted Defender Interception Strategy (UDIS), which does not rely on UAV maneuvering information. Additionally, we investigate the conditions for the existence of saddle point solutions and their relationship with vehicle maneuverability and response agility. The simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed strategies.