THE EFFECTS OF GUN ACCURACY AND ROTORCRAFT MANEUVERABILITY ON AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS

A computer simulation of multiple rotorcraft air-to-air combat is presented. Each rotorcraft is modeled at the predesign level of detail. The rotor analysis includes the rotor-rpm and flapping degrees of freedom. Armament suites include missiles, guns, turret and sensor limits, firing logic, and vulnerable areas. Damage is assessed by two-sided dueling logic, and the exchange ratio (kills/losses) is used to evaluate force effectiveness. Each rotorcraft is flown over flat earth by an aggressive, analytically-modeled pilot in a series of adaptive maneuvers to exploit its maneuverability. A version with 3-D terrain and two men-in-the-loop is also presented. Engagements between two opposing forces (M versus N) show the importance of the number of participants on each side. The effects of fire-control system accuracy, turret travel limits, and the trade of kinetic energy for an altitude advantage are evaluated parametrically.