A heuristic route planning model for simulating cruise missile flight paths

Modeling and simulation (M&S) has an essential role in the development of defenses against cruise missiles (CMs). Real CMs employ tactics to penetrate defenses along the shortest possible route to the target. Current route planning methods used in M&S, in contrast, are manual and subjective. Analysts planning the routes attempt to avoid defenses, but without any quantitative tactical criteria to guide the planning. The waypoints defining the routes are selected subjectively based on appearance, rather than on objective effectiveness in penetrating the defenses along short routes.; This research develops a computer-based heuristic model for defining cruise missile (CM) flight routes in M&S. The A-Star heuristic search technique in the model offers an improved method for defining the routes. The technique presents the defense with a tactically realistic simulated flight route that maximizes the probability of penetration. Waypoints are generated to minimize the exposure of the CM to defenses along the shortest feasible route to the target. Furthermore, A-Star results are, inherently, reproducible. Given the same assumptions and conditions, all analysts using the A-Star heuristic method will obtain the same flight route.; This work implemented FORTRAN language models of map generation and route generation for the Penalty Function Method (PFM) developed by Dr. Michael J. Dorsett and for the A-Star Heuristic Method (AHM). Paper maps or digital terrain models of samples of European and U.S. terrain are used to represent the region of CM operation and defense deployment. The measures of performance (MOPS) for comparative evaluation of the route-planning methods are the lengths of the resulting routes and the exposure of the routes to defenses.; Examples of routes for 12 cases are presented that illustrate that the AHM routes were both shorter and lower in exposure than the PFM routes. The AHM model is validated by comparison of AHM routes with routes defined manually by route-planning experts. The AHM routes are lower in exposure than the manual routes and are reproducible. Opportunities for future research with the A-Star method and for improvements to the route-planning models are described.