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American submarines, divers, and harbours will be protected by bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions under an ambitious US Navy Marine Mammal Program.
Under the project, marine animals could be used to detect, locate, and recover objects and threats in harbours and at sea for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Threats could include explosives, mines, enemy divers, and manned or unmanned surface or subsurface vessels.
A particularly important mission for the mammals is protection of the Navy’s submarines which are part of the nuclear triad, said Drew Walter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters.
“Millions of years of evolution have given these animals exceptional skills and detection capabilities that cannot be replaced by any technology we have today and probably cannot be replaced by new technology we’re going to have for a long time,” he said.
“They have this extraordinary ability to find objects amidst all of the noise, seaweed and low-visibility environment.”
Trident II missiles are carried aboard Ohio Class submarines and there are plans for them to be carried aboard the future Columbia Class submarines. Ohio Class submarines are based at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, and Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.
Marine animals could provide significant protective abilities using their natural hearing and vision, according to Walter. Over short distances, they are trained to either swim alongside a small boat or ride in the boat itself. For longer trips, animals can be transported comfortably by sea on naval vessels or by air in planes or helicopters, he said. They could also be tasked with retrieving lost equipment, hazardous materials or sensing threats individually or teamed with trainers.
The Marine Mammal Program and training location for the mammals is at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego. Earlier this month, Walter visited the training facility in San Diego and talked to the trainers, veterinarians and other support personnel.
The dolphins and sea lions are given exquisite care and are well-fed with the right kinds of fish and vitamins prepared in a special kitchen, he said. Navy dolphins reportedly live about twice as long as other dolphins; Navy sea lions live about three times as long as those in the wild.
The Marine Mammal Program, which started about six decades ago, has not only been a benefit for the sea services, it also has been vital to scientists and researchers, who have authored over 1,200 scientific publications related to marine biology and behaviour, Walter said.
Robert Dougherty
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