Multidimensional scaling analysis of simulated air combat maneuvering performance data

This paper describes the decomposition of air combat maneuvering by means of multidimensional scaling (MDS). MDS analyses were applied to performance data obtained from expert and novice pilots during simulated air-to-air combat. The results of these analyses revealed that the performance of expert pilots is characterized by advantageous maneuverability and intelligent energy management. It is argued that MDS, unlike simpler metrics, permits the investigator to achieve greater insights into the underlying structure associated with performance of a complex task.