MMOs for grown ups - your(american) tax money at work.

I thought that this link may be of interest to some of you:

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/articles/20091206.aspx

The short version:

The U.S. Navy Builds An MMO.

The U.S. Navy is looking for a game development company to bid on a project to help create a multiplayer game for training and brainstorming. It is anticipated that the number of players will be between 50 and 1000. Players will be drawn from a pool that includes military officers, government civilians, and government contractors. The game will be unclassified; however it will not be open or available to the general public. The game is non-deterministic and will be played in three moves that are related to, yet still distinct from, each other.

Move One - Protecting the Sea Lanes: Move One is designed to get the players engaged in the game - collaborating and thinking strategically. Players attend a major International Anti-Piracy Conference being convened under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization. Players, representing various anti-piracy stakeholders, sign up as members of various working groups which are tasked with addressing aspects of the piracy problem.

Move Two - Attacks at Sea: The scenario is multiple near simultaneous attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea to the Horn of Africa. Players would be self selecting and self organizing into collaborative teams of either Red (pirates) or Blue (US and Allied response). It is conceivable that players may have the option of signing up to be part of a third party as well, representing e.g. NGOs, other governments, etc.

Move Three: The game continues with a final move consisting of a range of scenarios that are logical outcomes from Move Two. These scenarios include, but may not be limited to: . Conducting a hostage rescue ashore . Conducting a hostage rescue at sea . Dismantling pirate base camps . Disrupting the pirate support infrastructure ashore and/or overseas . Helping the Somali Transitional National Government and Puntland officials restore order and the rule of law. Developing a viable indigenous Somali Coast Guard . Providing humanitarian assistance. Others, potentially based on insights gleaned from play in Moves One or Two.

Discuss.