Analytical Method for Hitting Probability of Supercavitating Torpedo Salvo

Abstract

Parallel salvo method is effective in increasing the hitting probability of straight running torpedoes. This study establishes a salvo model of supercavitating torpedoes wherein the shoot with a one-time turning angle is transferred into that with a straight-forward shooting. This clarifies the fact that the torpedo hits the target whenever the direction of relative velocity with respect to the target in the terminal trajectory coincides with the equivalent initial azimuth of the target. The proposed method simplifies the salvo problem. Herein, an analytical model of the salvo is established according to the law of shoot with straight trajectory. The miss distance is used as the hit index, and the shape of the target’s water plane is used as the hit range. Moreover, the analytical model considers the effects of platform detection error, torpedo navigation error, and target navigation error. Using statistical methods for comparison, simulations show that the results of the analytical model are consistent with those of the statistical model; this verifies the accuracy of the analytical model. The study also analyzes the sensitivity of each error source and clarifies that improving the torpedo heading control accuracy and azimuth detection accuracy is effective in increasing the hitting probability.

Keywords

• supercavitating torpedo
• hitting probability
• torpedo salvo
• sensitivity of error