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Module 2: Lecture 5
Guidance Subsystem
Keywords. Tracking, Seeker Stabilization

3.3 Guidance Subsystem

The guidance subsystem constitutes the sensory organs and the brain of the tactical missile. It performs several necessary functions.
The guidance subsystem acquires and subsequently tracks the target.
During tracking it decouples the seeker motion from the missile body motion and disturbances, thus improving the stability of the seeker system.
It collects information about the target and generates appropriate guidance commands to
guide the missile to an intercept.
The components of the guidance subsystem are the seeker antenna, the gimbal system which is attached to the missile body and on which the seeker is mounted, a rate
gyroscope for measuring the angular rate of the seeker head, a signal processing unit, and
a guidance computer which computes the guidance command.
A functional block diagram of the guidance subsystem is given in Figure 3.10. The
seeker stabilization loop decouples the seeker from the body motions which is fed back at
an appropriate position in the loop.
Let us try to understand each of these components and their functions in the light
of our everyday experience. Suppose while walking you spot a friend some distance
away on your right (Figure 3.11). Your eyes focus on the person, registers the persons
image, and recognises him as an acquaintance (target acquisition). As you walk down
the road you keep your eyes on this person (target tracking) who might be standing still
(stationary target) or walking (moving target). Your neck (the gimbal system) allows your
head to turn in such a way that your eyes (the seeker) keeps looking at this person. When
you are at point A you have to turn your head by a certain angle from the direction in

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Seeker
Stabilization

Data Link
Receiver

RG
Signal Processing
Unit

Guidance

Guidance
Computer

Command

Tracking
RGRate Gyro
Figure 3.10: Guidance subsystem

Friend

Figure 3.11: Take a walk!

which you are moving. In other words you are subconsciously decoupling the motion
of your head from the motion of your body. Suppose you decide to turn off the road
and walk up to your friend. Your brain decides the best way (i.e., where to start turning
off the road and by how much) to reach your friend. This is precisely what the missile
guidance computer does.
The guidance law of the missile is encoded into the memory of the guidance computer.
As the missile starts tracking the target, guidance commands are generated by the computer at periodic intervals. These are suitably transformed and fed into the autopilots.
In later chapters we shall describe various forms of guidance laws and evaluate them

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in terms of their performance.

Questions

1. What are the major functions of the guidance subsystem?

2. What are the major sub-components of the guidance subsystem? Explain with a
block diagram.
3. Devise a situation from your own day-to-day experience (apart from the one given
in the lecture notes here) that explains how the guidance sub-system works.