Double threat in pursuit-evasion games

Abstract

The effect of a double threat in a pursuit-evasion differential game is analyzed. The example solved herein to demonstrate this effect is a three-state planar pursuit. The pursuer, with airplane dynamics, is provided with two weapons, constituting the double threat. The two primary games, where only one of the weapons is used in each, are solved first. The primary barriers, describing the capture zones of the individual weapons, cross each other, producing a “leaking” corner. This means that their combined barrier is not semipermeable. A modified capture zone (barrier), larger than the union of the individual capture zones, is constructed using the switch envelope idea. The solution provides insight into the features of such conflicts, and highlights the mechanism that enables capture beyond the capture regions of the individual threats.