Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2008-03 Self-defense of large aircraft Yildirim, Zeki. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/4151 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS SELF-DEFENSE OF LARGE AIRCRAFT by Zeki Yildirim March 2008 Thesis Advisor: Nancy Haegel Second Reader: Michael Herrera Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED March 2008 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Self-defense of Large Aircraft 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Zeki Yildirim 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) Large aircraft are important assets in the military, as well as in civilian aviation. Today, the threat is not only in the battlespace but is also emerging and distributed throughout all the places where large aircraft operate. The threat has expanded due to new developments in advancing missile technology. This study is meant to be a comprehensive guide for non-technical aircrew and an introduction for technical personnel by defining threat technologies, detection systems and systems to counter today’s surface-to-air missile technologies and possible future developments. Countermeasures are expressed both scientifically and operationally with examples from the current market. The emerging threats of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs) and infrared technology are also reviewed. The hardness of flying platforms and survivability issues are explained, including the latest examples from operations in Iraq. The goal of this study is to assist in the design or modernization of a large aircraft with equipment according to new demands both in the battlespace and in normal civilian operations. 14. SUBJECT TERMS SAM, Guidance, Detection of Threats, Countermeasures, 15. NUMBER OF Survivability, Large Aircraft, RWR, MAWS, LWR, Signature Reduction PAGES 157 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited SELF-DEFENSE OF LARGE AIRCRAFT Zeki Yildirim Captain, Turkish Air Force B.S., Turkish Air Force Academy, 1997 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 2008 Author: Zeki Yildirim Approved by: Michael Herrera Thesis Advisor Nancy Haegel Second Reader Dan Boger Chairman, Department of Information Sciences iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT Large aircraft are important assets in the military, as well as in civilian aviation. Today, the threat is not only in the battlespace but is also emerging and distributed throughout all the places where large aircraft operate. The threat has expanded due to new developments in advancing missile technology. This study is meant to be a comprehensive guide for non-technical aircrew and an introduction for technical personnel by defining threat technologies, detection systems and systems to counter today’s surface-to-air missile technologies and possible future developments. Countermeasures are expressed both scientifically and operationally with examples from the current market. The emerging threats of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs) and infrared technology are also reviewed. The hardness of flying platforms and survivability issues are explained, including the latest examples from operations in Iraq. The goal of this study is to assist in the design or modernization of a large aircraft with equipment according to new demands both in the battlespace and in normal civilian operations. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 A. BACKGROUND ................................................................................... 1 B. AREA OF RESEARCH ........................................................................ 1 C. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTIONS ..................................................... 1 1. Major Question......................................................................... 1 2. Subsidiary Questions.............................................................. 2 D. LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................ 2 E. IMPORTANCE AND THE BENEFITS OF THE STUDY....................... 2 F. ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS...................................................... 3 II. MISSILES AS A THREAT .............................................................................. 5 A. MISSILES............................................................................................. 5 B. PHASES OF MISSILE GUIDANCE ..................................................... 6 1. Boost (Launch) ........................................................................ 6 2. Mid-Course............................................................................... 7 3. Terminal.................................................................................... 7 C. MISSILE GUIDANCE TYPES .............................................................. 7 1. Active Guidance....................................................................... 8 a. System Principle ........................................................... 8 b. Pros................................................................................ 8 c. Cons............................................................................... 8 d. Susceptibilities to Jamming......................................... 9 2. Semi-active Guidance ........................................................... 10 a. System Principle ......................................................... 10 b. Pros.............................................................................. 10 c. Susceptibilities to Jamming....................................... 11 3. Command Guidance.............................................................. 12 a. System Principle ......................................................... 12 b. Pros.............................................................................. 13 c. Cons............................................................................. 13 d. Susceptibilities to Jamming....................................... 13 4. Beam-riding Guidance .......................................................... 14 a. System Principle ......................................................... 14 b. Pros.............................................................................. 15 c. Cons............................................................................. 15 5. Inertial Navigation Guidance ................................................ 15 6. Retransmission Guidance..................................................... 16 a. System Principle ......................................................... 16 b. Pros.............................................................................. 16 c. Cons............................................................................. 16 d. Susceptibilities to Jamming....................................... 16 7. Passive Guidance .................................................................. 17 vii a. System Principle ......................................................... 17 b. Pros.............................................................................. 18 c. Cons............................................................................. 18 d. Susceptibilities to Jamming....................................... 18 8. Imaging Guidance.................................................................. 19 D. MISSILE TRAJECTORIES ................................................................ 22 1. Pursuit .................................................................................... 22 2. Lead Angle ............................................................................