The US Navy’s Kitsap-Bangor base in Washington will deploy specially trained dolphins and sea lions as anti-terrorism personnel in 2010 to safeguard the nation’s Pacific fleet of nuclear submarines.

The aquatic mammals will be trained to detect trespassers attempting to swim in at night, providing enhanced security for the base where Trident submarines armed with nuclear missiles are anchored, allgov.com reports.

The Atlantic bottlenose dolphins will serve as the navy’s swimmer interdiction security system and because of the cooler water temperatures will work in two-hour shifts.

Dolphins are already being used at a base in King’s Bay, Georgia, home to the Atlantic fleet of Tridents.

See Also: