Mine Hunting Dolphins and Sea Lions ????

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? They use dolphins and sea lions?

U.S. Navy Fielding First of Many Organic AMCM Tools

Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/18/2007, page 95

Amy Butler
Washington

U.S. Navy takes first of many steps to overhaul countermine capabilities

Printed headline: Going Organic

The U.S. Navy is planning to field its first organic airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) capability this fall with the introduction of the first of five of the MH-60S’s key mine-hunting components into the fleet by year-end.

The AN/AQS-20 Mine Hunting Sonar system is nearing completion of its technical evaluation phase and will be dispatched to the fleet by the end of the year. The device, designed by Raytheon, will be towed behind the MH-60S and is used to detect mines in deep water.

With the fielding of this device and a new semi-submersible mine-hunting vehicle also being deployed for the first time this year, the Navy is embarking on a years-long shift in handling the tricky and elusive task of finding and neutralizing mines. The central tenet of the Navy’s new countermine strategy is to remove its sailors, mine-hunting dolphins and sea lions and ships from direct contact with the mines during future countermine operations. Today, minesweeping ships operate in the minefield and Navy divers or sea mammals physically attach charges to neutralize each individual mine. This process is both time-consuming and dangerous.

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I can just see the ad: Wanted EOD^* expert. Must work for fish.

^*EOD=Explosive Ordinance Disposal.