Modeling Air Combat by a Moving Horizon Influence Diagram Game

Abstract

The paper describes a multistage influence diagram game for modeling the maneuvering decisions of pilots in one-on-one air combat. It graphically describes the elements of the decision process, contains a model for the dynamics of the aircraft, and takes into account the pilots' preferences under conditions of uncertainty. The pilots' game optimal control sequences with respect to their preference models are obtained by solving the influence diagram game with a moving horizon control approach. In this approach, the time horizon of the original game is truncated, and a feedback Nash equilibrium of the dynamic game lasting only a limited planning horizon is determined and implemented at each decision stage. To demonstrate the influence diagram game and its aspects, examples with a realistic three-dimensional point mass aircraft model are computed and analyzed. The presented game model offers a novel way to analyze optimal air combat maneuvering and to develop an automated decision making system for selecting combat maneuvers in air combat simulators.

Game-Theoretic Validation and Analysis of Air Combat Simulation Models

“…Therefore, several types of game formulations for AC and air operations have been constructed. Such formulations are, e.g., matrix games [22], [23], discretetime dynamic games [24]- [30], differential games [31]- [36], two-target games [37], [38], and influence diagram games [39]. The dynamic and differential games enable the solution of game-optimal time-dependent controls or decision sequences for the players.…”

“…In order to be tractable, such game formulations have to be limited in detail and realism. For example, aircraft and missiles are described using 3-DOF point-mass models [4], [5], [22], [32], [34]- [36], [39], [40] or even more simplified equations of motion [24], [25], [28]- [30], [33], [41] that result in unrealistic flight paths that cannot be implemented in practice. In addition, many decision-making problems related to AC do not necessitate a dynamic or differential game formulation.…”

Research on unmanned combat aerial vehicle robust maneuvering decision under incomplete target information

“…The UCAV MIN-MAX decision method based on the fuzzy logic was put forward by the literature 18 and is further improved in this article. The decision method used in the literature cannot ensure that the membership functions of four situation parameters keep increasing monotonically during the decision process, and eventually converge to 1.…”

“…According to the presentation of advantages and disadvantages of air combat situation in the literature, 18 as shown in Figure 4, the air combat situation can be further divided into equilibration, advantages, disadvantages, and badness to each other; the purpose of air combat decision is to transform any situation into advantageous situation. Four parameters can be utilized to characterize the current air combat situation in the process of air combat:…”

“…The flight attitude of the enemy plane in next moment was predicted in the decision-making process, so as to decide the optimal flight tactical action of our plane. Literature 18 deeply studied the influence diagram and utilized multistage influence diagram to model the stand-alone air combat. Literature 19 studied tactical decision-making of the underwater vehicle to avoid torpedo.…”