Which systems are examples of terrain contour matching systems?

Terrain contour matching systems are designed to enhance navigation capabilities by utilizing the physical contours of the terrain. They achieve this by comparing known terrain features with the actual terrain beneath an aircraft, allowing for accurate positioning and navigation, especially in low-altitude flight where other navigation systems may be less effective.

TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) and TERPROM (Terrain Profile Matching) are indeed key examples of these systems. TERCOM utilizes stored data on the terrain profile to compare against real-time measurements, enabling precise location determination. TERPROM enhances this capability further by incorporating additional data types and can often provide navigational assistance even when GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable.

This accuracy in determining the aircraft’s position relative to the ground makes these systems invaluable for military operations, especially in terrain-rich environments where visual navigation may be difficult. Other systems such as GPS and radar, while beneficial for navigation, do not specifically function to match terrain contours in the same way. The other listed systems focus on different forms of sensing or measurement, which do not align with the definition or operation of terrain contour matching systems.