Guidance Techniques for Canard-Equipped Artillery Shells Based on Trajectory Prediction

Abstract This paper proposes a computationally efficient guidance method for spin-stabilized artillery shells equipped with a trajectory correction fuze (TCF). Conventional guidance laws are not applicable due to the limited maneuvering capability and the inability to utilize inertial measurement unit (IMU) feedback inherent to the system. To overcome these limitations, a guidance concept based on rapid impact point prediction is introduced. The proposed method employs a four-degrees-of-freedom (4-DOF) trajectory simulation under quasi-steady assumptions, achieving real-time impact prediction with less than 1/100 of the computational cost of a full 7-DOF model. By analyzing the sensitivity of the impact point to canard inputs, an iterative correction algorithm is developed. Simulation results demonstrate accurate impact-point correction under nominal, windy, and perturbed conditions, reducing the circular error probable (CEP) considerably compared to the unguided case. The findings confirm the feasibility of the proposed method for improving the precision of TCF-equipped shells.