Multi-disciplinary design and optimization of air to surface missiles with respect to flight performance and radar cross section

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Makina Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2011

Öğrenci: ALİ KARAKOÇ

Danışman: MEHMET HALUK AKSEL

Özet:

This study focuses on the external configuration design of a tactical missile based on maximizing flight range while minimizing the radar signature which is a crucial performance parameter for survivability. It is known that shaping of a missile according to aerodynamic performance may have significant negative effects on the radar cross section. Thus, the impact of the geometry changes on the aerodynamic performance and the radar cross section is investigated. Suggorage models for the flight range, control effectiveness and the radar cross section (RCS) at an X band frequency are established by employing Genetic Algorithm. Accuracies of surrogate models are discussed in terms of statistical parameters. Seventeen geometrical parameters are considered as the design variables. Optimum combinations for the design variables are sought such that flight range is maximized while the radar cross section is minimized. The multi objective optimization problem is solved by imposing the static stability margin as a hard nonlinear constraint. Weighted sum approach is utilized to compare results with known missile configurations. Weights for flight range and Radar Cross Section are varied to obtain Pareto optimal solutions.