You don't know it's final destination.
You assume to know. If it's preprogrammed, it is impossible for you to know.
That is stupid. New York City is a target for Soviet/Russia ICBMs. So we know where an iCBM is going. If there are 10 ICBMs launched, eventually based on radar detection, a trajectory will reveal. So at the high level, you are wrong to start.
Terminal just means the last several seconds of it's flight; it's not a definition of a change in it's behavior. A maneuverable missile can maneuver at any phase of it's flight.
The laugh is on
YOU.
The terminal phase is not time limited but when a missile must make a final orientation to the target. That time could be in the last seconds of its flight or the last minute, depends on the design of the missile itself. So at that point in flight, it does have a change in behavior.
Can we make a missile maneuver at
ALL phases of its flight? Yes, but it would be stupid, just like you, to do so. In post 396 I mentioned an 'error' signal where the missile deviate from its target. Here are the technical supporting sources...
This paper discusses an approach for determining the initial engagement point and steering missile during its terminal phase such that it can hit a gr…
www.sciencedirect.com
The guidance algorithm generates maneuver reference, in terms of normal acceleration, that is fed to the flight control system. The algorithm is based on Proportional Navigation (PN) approach, with scheduled navigation gains. The navigation gains are scheduled as a function of Line of Sight (LOS) and desired flight path angles at engagement stage, hence it may be exploited for determining the initial engagement point. For a desired navigation gain value, the LOS is also related to the maximum value of normal acceleration reference, hence it can be used for limiting the maneuver that must be executed by the missile.
The missile and target motion relative to inertial space can be combined mathematically to obtain the relative motion between the missile and the target. The terminal sensor, typically an RF or IR seeker, measures the angle between an inertial reference and the missile-to-target line-of-sight (LOS) vector,which is called the LOS angle. The state estimator, e.g., a Kalman filter, uses LOS angle measurements to estimate LOS angle rate and perhaps other quantities such as target acceleration. The state estimates feed a guidance law that develops the flight control commands required to intercept the target. The flight control system forces the missile to track the guidance commands, resulting in the achieved missile motion. The achieved missile motion alters the relative geometry, which then is sensed and used to determine the next set of flight control commands, and so on. This loop continues to operate until the missile intercepts the target.
Note the highlighted. During maneuvers, the target is constantly moving across sensor view because the missile is maneuvering. Once the target reached sensor center, that error signal is zero, then as the missile maneuver, that error signal increases, then the flight control system commands the missiles to the opposite direction. And the loop continues. But this loop cannot continue forever. At one point in flight, the missile must stop maneuvering in order to achieve a constant zero error signal simply because distance is approaching zero.
TERMINAL PHASE. — The terminal or final phase is of great importance. The last phase of missile guidance must have a high degree of accuracy, as well as fast response to guidance signals to ensure an intercept. Near the end of the flight, the missile may be required to maneuver to its maximum capability in order to make the sharp turns needed to overtake and hit a fast-moving, evasive target. In some missiles, maneuvers are limited during the early part of the terminal phase. As the missile gets closer to the target, it becomes more responsive to the detected error signals. In this way, it avoids excessive maneuvers during the first part of terminal phase.
Even if the target is fixed ground, the correct word is still 'intercept'. This is because mathematically, ALL components of the targeting system are assumed to be capable of acceleration. This is so that the math can be transported from an ICBM that is against a fixed ground target to an AMRAAM that is against an airborne mobile target. So as we can see from our sources, even the 'terminal phase' has its own sub-stages. And at one point, the missile cannot, or SHOULD NOT maneuver in order to have target lock, even against a fixed ground target.
The terminal phase is where the defender can intercept a missile or a descending warhead. To intercept a missile before terminal, we would have to move closer to launch site, wherever that maybe.
You are on a military oriented forum and I bet that you never thought that you would encounter someone who actually have relevant military experience, so you ended up posting comments on issues you know nothing about. I gave you relevant keywords but apparently you did not use them. Now, in front of all the silent readers out there, your ignorance is plain to see.
