Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for aiming a gun at a target moving along a non-linear path is disclosed which relies upon the discovery that at any given moment in a non-linear path, a target is traversing an arc of a circle. Methods for calculating offsets for aiming a gun at a point further along on the arc of the circle in accordance with the determined time of flight of the projectile are disclosed.

Abstract: A weapon fire control system is operated to measure line-of-sight angular te and estimate velocity and acceleration of a maneuvering target. The apparent area of the maneuvering target is continuously monitored and when it becomes a value that is some preselected amount greater than the maneuvering target's head-on area, the gun line offset servos of the weapon are commanded to develop an offset which is a function of target velocity and acceleration. When the line-of-sight angular rate crosses through zero, a firing command is initiated. For a class of maneuvering targets where the product of target velocity and projectile time of flight is much less than the engagement range, performance of the weapon fire control system will be improved and power requirements of the gun line offset servo will be reduced.