Zarvan
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With Iran threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, which would effectively shut down one-fifth of the worlds daily oil trade, the U.S. Navy has a secret weapon: dolphins.
News reports say Irans threats to choke off the vital strait has reached fever pitch. Irans supreme leader has been warned by the U.S. that such a move would provoke a response, with the United States already imposing sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and, by extension, refiners' ability to buy and pay for crude.
Experts say Iran could block the strait using mines, armed speed boats or anti-ship cruise missiles, but, according to Michael Connell at the Center for Naval Analysis, the immediate issue [for the U.S. military] is to get the mines.
Cue the dolphins.
Weve got dolphins, retired Adm. Tim Keating said in an interview last week with NPR. Keating, who commanded the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain during the run-up to the Iraq war, said in a situation like the standoff in Hormuz, Navy-trained dolphins would come in handy.
They are astounding in their ability to detect underwater objects, Keating told the station.
The invasion of Iraq was the last time the mine-sweeping capability of dolphins was widely-touted. "Dolphins -- which possess sonar so keen they can discern a quarter from a dime when blindfolded and spot a 3-inch metal sphere from 370 feet away -- are invaluable mine sweepers," reported The San Francisco Chronicle. In 2010, the Seattle Times reported that the Navy has 80 bottlenose dolphins in the San Diego Bay. They are taught to hunt for mines and drop acoustic transponders nearby.
According to a report in 2003, the dolphins only detect the mines. Destroying them is left up to the Navy's human divers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more: U.S. Navy Finds Dolphins A Key Ally In Strait Of Hormuz Showdown With Iran | Fox News
News reports say Irans threats to choke off the vital strait has reached fever pitch. Irans supreme leader has been warned by the U.S. that such a move would provoke a response, with the United States already imposing sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and, by extension, refiners' ability to buy and pay for crude.
Experts say Iran could block the strait using mines, armed speed boats or anti-ship cruise missiles, but, according to Michael Connell at the Center for Naval Analysis, the immediate issue [for the U.S. military] is to get the mines.
Cue the dolphins.
Weve got dolphins, retired Adm. Tim Keating said in an interview last week with NPR. Keating, who commanded the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain during the run-up to the Iraq war, said in a situation like the standoff in Hormuz, Navy-trained dolphins would come in handy.
They are astounding in their ability to detect underwater objects, Keating told the station.
The invasion of Iraq was the last time the mine-sweeping capability of dolphins was widely-touted. "Dolphins -- which possess sonar so keen they can discern a quarter from a dime when blindfolded and spot a 3-inch metal sphere from 370 feet away -- are invaluable mine sweepers," reported The San Francisco Chronicle. In 2010, the Seattle Times reported that the Navy has 80 bottlenose dolphins in the San Diego Bay. They are taught to hunt for mines and drop acoustic transponders nearby.
According to a report in 2003, the dolphins only detect the mines. Destroying them is left up to the Navy's human divers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more: U.S. Navy Finds Dolphins A Key Ally In Strait Of Hormuz Showdown With Iran | Fox News
