Hostname: page-component-68c7f8b79f-m4fzj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-12-18T17:32:44.220Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Collaborative penetration guidance strategy for hypersonic vehicles based on double-DQN

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2025

B. Teng
Affiliation:
School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing, China
J. Song*
Affiliation:
School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing, China
M. Wei
Affiliation:
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, Beijing Electro-Mechanical Engineering Institute, Beijing, China
*
Corresponding author: J. Song; Email: songjia@buaa.edu.cn

Abstract

The penetration strategy of hypersonic vehicles in hostile environments is a critical factor in determining their effectiveness in completing reconnaissance or strike missions. Reinforcement learning (RL), as an end-to-end method, exhibits inherent advantages in addressing complex problems. However, existing research indicates that to enhance the efficiency of RL-based strategies, further advancements are necessary to reduce training costs and improve generalisation capabilities. This paper introduces a RL-based cooperative guidance law for multi-hypersonic vehicles, incorporating the estimated remaining time-of-flight and the absolute value of the bank angle obtained through a predictor-corrector method. The observation space and reward function are specifically designed to simplify the complex decision-making problem into a single-value decision problem, thereby reducing computational complexity and training costs. The proposed guidance law integrates the observation space, reward function and action space within the reinforcement learning framework to control flight trajectories, flight time and penetration of no-fly zones, ensuring compliance with multiple constraints. Model training and simulation tests conducted under multiple constraints demonstrate that the proposed approach reduces the training iterations required for the reinforcement learning agent and improves decision-making efficiency. Furthermore, simulations under different no-fly zone distributions confirm the proposed guidance approach’s high generalisation ability.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal Aeronautical Society

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Ding, Y., Yue, X. and Chen, G. Review of control and guidance technology on hypersonic vehicle, Chin. J. Aeronaut., 2022, 35, pp 118.10.1016/j.cja.2021.10.037CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeon, I-S., Lee, J-I. and Tahk, M-J. Homing guidance law for cooperative attack of multiple missiles, J. Guid. Control Dyn., 2010, 33, pp 275280.10.2514/1.40136CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liang, Z. and Ren, Z. Tentacle-based guidance for entry flight with no-fly zone constraint, J. Guid. Control Dyn., 2018, 41, pp 9961005.10.2514/1.G003157CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gao, Y., Cai, G., Yang, X., et al. Improved tentacle-based guidance for reentry gliding hypersonic vehicle with no-fly zone constraint, IEEE Access, 2019, 7, pp 119246119258.10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2936974CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Z. Optimal trajectories and normal load analysis of hypersonic glide vehicles via convex optimization, Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 2019, 87, pp 357358.10.1016/j.ast.2019.03.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halbe, O., Raja, R.G. and Padhi, R. Robust reentry guidance of a reusable launch vehicle using model predictive static programming, J. Guid. Control Dyn., 2014, 37, pp 134148.10.2514/1.61615CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zang, L., Lin, D., Chen, S., et al. An on-line guidance algorithm for high L/D hypersonic reentry vehicles, Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 2019, 89, pp 150162.10.1016/j.ast.2019.03.052CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, T., Wang, P., Liu, L., et al. Integrated guidance and control with L2 disturbance attenuation for hypersonic vehicles, Adv. Space Res., 2016, 57, pp 25192528.10.1016/j.asr.2016.03.042CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhu, J., Liu, L., Tang, G., et al. Three-dimensional robust diving guidance for hypersonic vehicle, Adv. Space Res., 2016, 57, pp 562575.10.1016/j.asr.2015.10.037CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fang, K., Zhang, Q., Ni, K., et al. Time-coordinated reentry guidance law for hypersonic vehicle, Acta Aeronaut. Astronaut. Sin, 2018, 39, pp 116.Google Scholar
Zhang, Y., Fang, G., et al. Time-cooperative guidance law for multiple UAVs with angle constraints, 2019 IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems (ICUS), 2019, pp 189–194.10.1109/ICUS48101.2019.8995997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, Z., He, B., Wang, M., et al. Time-coordination entry guidance for multi-hypersonic vehicles, Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 2019, 89, pp 123135.10.1016/j.ast.2019.03.056CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yu, J., Dong, X., Li, Q., et al. Cooperative guidance strategy for multiple hypersonic gliding vehicles system, Chin. J. Aeronaut., 2020, 33, pp 9901005.10.1016/j.cja.2019.12.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hong, H., Maity, A. and Holzapfel, F. Free final-time constrained sequential quadratic programming–based flight vehicle guidance, J. Guid. Control Dyn., 2021, 44, pp 181189.10.2514/1.G004874CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yu, W., Chen, W., Jiang, Z., et al. Analytical entry guidance for coordinated flight with multiple no-fly-zone constraints, Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 2019, 84, pp 273290.10.1016/j.ast.2018.10.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhan, Y., Xv, J., Yao, K., et al. A new UAV swarm pursuit task scheme driven by DDPG algorithm, Acta Aeronaut, 2020, 41, pp 314326.Google Scholar
Luo, Y., Song, J., Zhao, K., et al. UAV-cooperative penetration dynamic-tracking interceptor method based on DDPG, Appl. Sci., 2022, 12, p 1618.10.3390/app12031618CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, Z., Guo, J., Tang, S., et al. A deep learning-based approach to time-coordination entry guidance for multiple hypersonic vehicles, Aeronaut. J., 2023, 127, pp 604626.10.1017/aer.2022.82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Song, J., Xu, X., Tong, X., et al. A time cooperation guidance for multi-hypersonic vehicles based on LSTM network and improved artificial potential field method, Aerospace, 2022, 9, p 562.10.3390/aerospace9100562CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Z., Wu, T., Zhu, Z. and Ma, C., Reinforcement learning–based adaptive attitude control method for a class of hypersonic flight vehicles subject to Nonaffine structure and unmatched disturbances, J. Aerosp. Engin, 2024, 37, p 04024003.10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xu, Y., Li, J., Wu, B., et al. Cooperative landing on mobile platform for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles via reinforcement learning, J. Aerosp. Engin, 2024, 37, p 04023095.10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5053CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, H., Yu, J. and Dong, X. A cooperative guidance law for multiple missiles based on reinforcement learning, 2022 IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems (ICUS), 2022, pp 1473–1478.10.1109/ICUS55513.2022.9986718CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhuang, X., Li, D., Wang, Y., et al. Optimization of high-speed fixed-wing UAV penetration strategy based on deep reinforcement learning, Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 2024, 148, p 109089.10.1016/j.ast.2024.109089CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sana, K., and Hu, W. Hypersonic reentry trajectory planning by using hybrid fractional-order particle swarm optimization and gravitational search algorithm, Chin. J. Aeronaut., 2021, 34, pp 5067.10.1016/j.cja.2020.09.039CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, J., and Zhou, R. Reentry trajectory optimization for hypersonic vehicle satisfying complex constraints, Chin. J. Aeronaut., 2013, 26, pp 15441553.10.1016/j.cja.2013.10.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mnih, V., Kavukcuoglu, K., Silver, D., et al. Human-level control through deep reinforcement learning, Nature, 2015, 518, pp 529533.10.1038/nature14236CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Hasselt, H., Guez, A., and Silver, D. Deep reinforcement learning with double q-learning, Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 2016, 30, pp 20942100.10.1609/aaai.v30i1.10295CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, W., Yu, W., Li, J., and Chen, W. Intelligent cross-range maneuver reentry cooperative guidance of aircraft based on longitudinal analytical solution, Acta Armamentarii, 2021, 42, pp 14001411.Google Scholar