Distributed Consensus Algorithm For Multi-Missile Networks With Switching-Topologies And Dynamically-Changed Delay (Dcams)

The Department of Defense conducts missions that include multiple missiles that communicate in order to successfully achieve mission goals. To accomplish this goal, delay in the multi-missile systems must be minimized. Algorithms exist that address portions of this problem by providing a consensus protocol that considers time-delayed communications for synchronized networks with fixed topologies. This paper expands this approach to provide a common consensus protocol that can be used in both fixed topology and switched topology communications networks. The effect of this enhancement is to dramatically reduce delay for multi-missile communications systems; thereby enabling more time-efficient consensus and improving mission success.