[Sabertooth]

Operational Fleet Systems

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From the capabilities demonstrated in the Advanced Marine Biological Systems program, four operational Fleet Marine Mammal Systems (MMS) have been developed to fulfill Navy requirements where hardware is inadequate or safety is an issue. Dolphins are used in MMS because of their exceptional biological sonar that is unmatched by hardware sonars in detecting objects in the water column and on the ocean bottom. Sea lions are used because of their very sensitive underwater directional hearing and low light level vision. Both of these marine mammal species are trainable for tasks and are capable of repetitive deep diving. Fleet MMS are assigned to Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units (EODMU). Each system has from 4 to 8 marine mammals, an Officer-in-Charge, and several enlisted personnel. All MMS are rapidly transported by aircraft, helicopter and land vehicles with all equipment to sustain an operational deployment. These systems regularly participate in major Fleet exercises. The Mk 6 & 7 MMS were used to support waterside security at the 1996 Republican Convention in San Diego, CA. SPAWAR supports these Fleet systems with replenishment marine mammals, hardware, training, personnel and documentation.

What is a "System"?

"System" is the term used for the various marine mammal programs developed for use by the Fleet. They include:

Mk 4 is a dolphin mine searching system that detects and marks locations of mines moored off the ocean bottom. It is capable of shipboard forward deployment to support post-amphibious operations. (EODMU THREE, Coronado, CA)

Mk 5 is a sea lion exercise mine recovery system that locates pingered training mines. The sea lions can locate these mines to depths of 1000 feet and attach a grabber device for recovery. (EODMU THREE, Coronado, CA and EODMU SIX, Charleston, SC)

Mk 6 is a dolphin swimmer and diver detection system that can detect and mark the location of an intruder. This system was used in Vietnam in 1970-71 and the Persian Gulf in 1987-88. (EODMU THREE, Coronado, CA)

Mk 7 is a dolphin mine searching system that detects and marks the location of mines on the ocean bottom. This system is also capable of shipboard forward deployment to support post-amphibious assaults. (EODMU THREE, Coronado, CA)

LINK

[Sabertooth]

((((((growl)))))

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Well, at least they got him back. Just when you think that you've got an animal figured out, they'll do something to surprise you.

[Carry_Okie]

My impression is that the dolphins are very capable, but perhaps not terribly reliable. As part of a total system they probably save a lot of labor and dive time, particularly when investigating targets that have been previously mapped to GPS coordinates by magnetic anomaly detectors.

I wonder if they can be "steered" to particular locations through some form of underwater communication?

[Slyfox]

Now, did they tell me to 'get bombs' or 'get bombed'?

[Bluntpoint]

At least Flipper did not try to avoid service like the great Maha Flipper. He avoided the porpoise draft by whinning about his pilonidal cyst.

[sweetliberty]

He's back! How did you miss this thread? It's a good one.

[TopQuark]

"Flipper's f----ed, mate," he said.

Yeh, without this quote the story would certainly lack authenticity. This and smear is is what passed for journalism today.

[rabidralph]

"Two days later we found him in the same spot where we put him in the water,"

Wow. Failure to go. Disobeying a direct order. Sounds like someone has Captain's Mast in his future.

[SamAdams76]

Damn dolphin. I bet he got drunk, hit a whorehouse and didn't have enough money to make it back to base. I hope they take away a stripe and give him two weeks of hard labor - such as clearing beer and soda cans off the bottom of the ocean floor.

[lawgirl]

Dolphins are such smart creatures- I bet if they don't want to perform you can't get them to. Kind of like a cat. :-D

[rwfromkansas]

"That meant some of our gear got bumped off the flight," he said.

Ah, here we go. This is the real reason why the Aussie is having a hissy fit.

He has a case of dolphin envy.....he doesn't like being second in consideration by the U.S. military.....:) lol

[putupon]

The diver said the dolphin returned two days later.

This is good. At first I was worried that Flipper had changed his name to Flipper X and defected to Al Queda or Hamas.

[Justa]

AWOL is not the appropriate term. As he was on a mission the correct term is MIA. Of course that would engender sympathy for the coalition so the media won't use it.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Everyone here is way off base, the AWOL story is just a ruse. I have it on good authority (A friend's friend's third cousin twice removed, who knows a girl who used to date a guy a CENTCOM HQ) that the Dolphin is a SEAL and was on a mission up the Euphrates...

Don't know the details but there may be a Navy Cross or possibly even a Medal of Honor in it for him... But you didn't here it from me.