Military marine mammal

[2] A Soviet military Beluga whale named Tichka twice escaped in 1991 and 1992, crossed the Black Sea and was admired by the residents of the Turkish town Gerze, who called him Aydın.

[12] Pioneering the use of dolphins in warfare was the scientist James Fitzgerald whom the CIA sent to Key West, Florida, to set up a classified laboratory in 1964.

[14] The United States Navy implemented a program in 1960 to work with dolphins and sea lions in order to help with defense, mine detection, and the design of new submarines and new underwater weapons.

[18][non-primary source needed] The dolphins and sea lions are trained by five teams of the Navy's Marine Mammal fleet members.

[12] Retired US Admiral Tim Keating claimed that military dolphins could be used to detect mines in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran threatened to close the waterway in January 2012.

Similar Israel-related animal conspiracy theories were stated in August 2015 when Al-Quds claimed to have sources regarding another incident of a cetacean fighter, equipped with a remote control, a camera, and a weapon that can fire harpoon-type projectiles.

[22] Ric O'Barry, a former U.S. Navy and civilian trainer of marine mammals, writes that the dolphins complied with their training program only to obtain food.

In Russia, dolphins and seals have been trained to carry tools for divers and to detect torpedoes, mines, and other ammunition to working depths of up to 120 metres.

Seals are considered better suited than belugas for military use in polar conditions for their "high professionalism" and ability to learn, retain, and understand oral commands.

[12] The beluga, called Hvaldimir, was wearing a harness that was labeled "Equipment of St. Petersburg", seemed comfortable around humans, and attempted to pull ropes from the sides of a Norwegian fishing vessel.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether belugas could be used to “guard entrances to naval bases’” in arctic regions and "assist deepwater divers and if necessary kill any strangers who enter their territory".