Singular Arcs in the Optimal Evasion Against a Proportional Navigation Vehicle

The two-dimensional optimal evasion problem against a proportional navigation pursuer is analyzed using a nonlinear model. The velocities of both players have constant modulus, but change in direction. The problem is to determine the time-minimum trajectory (disengagement) or time-maximum trajectory (evasion) of the evader while moving from the assigned initial conditions to the final conditions. A maximum principle procedure allows one to reduce the optimal control problem to the phase portrait analysis of a system of two differential equations. The qualitative features of the optimal process are determined.