Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM): A Cruise Missile Guidance Aid

The Cruise Missile is guided by an inertial guidance system aided by an updating technique called Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM). Chance-Vought first proposed the terrain correlation technique in the late 1950's. Since that time TERCOM has evolved into a reliable, accurate, all weather, day and night method of position fixing and updating for cruise missiles. A brief history of TERCOM development will be presented giving results where possible. A description of TERCOM and how is works will be discussed. A snapshot of the present TERCOM status and future planned developments will be addressed.