With the ever increasing risk of a submarine attack, the US government is working on a simulation software to help track enemy submarines during submarine warfare. They are looking for gamers to help test the software by integrating it with a game, called Dangerous Waters, created by Sonalysts Combat Simulations. The game is available to download free online.
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is behind the project, which carries the name Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel, but the name is being shortened to ACTUV. Before you play ACTUV the government wants to be sure you are serious by asking: Can you come up with a way to track elusive submarines that has never been thought up before? Can you outsmart an enemy submarine commander and keep him from escaping into the deep? If you are up for the challenge when you finish a mission it will ask if you would like to submit your data for analysis. If you do choose to submit your data it will be sent to a database with no personally identifiable information.
Once the software has been sufficiently tested InformationWeek was told that the Navy will be adding the software into its growing Anti-Submarine Warfare toolkit. The military is continually looking to software simulation and virtual training to help prepare soldiers for real world battle conditions. The simulations offer experiences that they would not be able to get with real world training but it does disconnect them from the consequences of real world mistakes.