Control and Maneuverability of a Square Cross-Section Missile

Abstract

A study has been conducted into the aerodynamics, control, and performance of a square cross-section supersonic missile. Comparisons have been made with an equivalent circular cross-section baseline. This paper summarizesthe control and maneuverability findings and explores the relationship between airframe asymmetry and autopilot architecture. Missile autopilot designs based on classical, H ∞ , and nonlinear dynamic inversion methodologies are compared in terms of a robust stability requirement defined by Nichols exclusion regions, applied in a multiloop sense. Valuable insights into the required autopilot architecture are gained through this. Various other performance metrics are also proposed and used to explore the relative merits of the square cross-section body shape.