With concerns about Iran laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was asked Tuesday whether Iran might turn to dolphins to help confront the US Navy.
He said that he could “confirm” that Iran didn’t have dolphins to deploy as part of operations but said he would neither “confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins.”
One source familiar with US operations in the Strait of Hormuz told CNN that the US military isn’t using dolphins as part of its efforts in the Strait. But the US Navy does, in fact, have a decades-old program to train dolphins to help detect mines.
The Marine Mammal Program is a part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Department within Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific. The department’s dolphins are not kamikaze dolphins in that they do not sacrifice their lives to detonate mines. Instead, they’re focused on detection.
“We use marine mammals to help detect objects under water and to protect ports by detecting intruders,” Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at RAND who previously worked with the now-decommissioned US Navy mine warfare command, told CNN. “So it’s not ‘The Day of the Dolphin.’”
The US isn’t alone in using dolphins for military purposes — Russia has used them to guard ports, and Iran purchased dolphins in 2000, according to the BBC. Those dolphins would likely be too old to be used today, and there is no indication that Iran has an active dolphin program, though the Wall Street Journal reported last month that Iran was considering mine-carrying dolphins as a novel way to combat the US efforts to open the Strait.
The question to Hegseth on Tuesday comes amid questions about the ceasefire between the US and Iran, after shots were fired by both sides as tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz. CNN reported in March that Iran had started laying mines in the Strait; Hegseth said in April that laying mines would violate the tentative ceasefire agreement and that the US military would “deal with that.”
The US Navy’s dolphin program has been around since 1959, focused on training bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions to detect and recover objects underwater. According to the Marine Mammal Program’s webpage, dolphins “possess the most sophisticated sonar known to science,” and underwater drones are “no match for the animals.”
“Both dolphins and sea lions have excellent low light vision and underwater directional hearing that allow them to detect and track undersea targets, even in dark or murky waters,” the website says. “Dolphins are trained to search for and mark the location of undersea mines that could threaten the safety of those on board military or civilian ships.”
During a detection mission, the dolphin would typically travel with 2-3 handlers in a small boat. To indicate if they’ve found something, the animal will tap a paddle at the front of the boat, and tap a back paddle to indicate they haven’t, according to the Naval Undersea Museum. The dolphins drop “marker buoys” near mines they’ve located to help human divers find and disable them.
But dolphins are not typically used in an active combat environment like what exists in the Strait of Hormuz currently. Instead, dolphins have been used to detect mines after fighting has finished, Savitz said.
Savitz pointed specifically to when dolphins were deployed in 2003 to detect any mines leading to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr after the US and coalition partners had captured southern Iraq.
“Hostilities had basically ceased,” he said. “You’re not trying to fight your way in with dolphins.”
A key aspect of the program, Savitz explained, is that the dolphins and sealions have the opportunity to leave every time they go out into the open waters for training or operations.
“They choose to come back because they like the free fish; they like the game of can you find this on the sea floor, can you find the person trying to swim close to the piers; they like the protection from predators,” Savitz said. “There are always questions about animal welfare, but these animals actively choose to stay in the program when they could just join the wild.”
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have once again brought maritime security into sharp global focus, reviving not only concerns over naval escalation between the United States and Iran, but also an unexpected Cold War-era question: can dolphins play a role in modern warfare?
As concerns mounted over reports of potential Iranian mine-laying activity in the strategic waterway, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was asked whether Iran might deploy dolphins in naval operations. He responded that he could “confirm” Iran did not possess operational dolphin units, while adding that he would “neither confirm nor deny” whether the United States maintains similar capabilities.
According to reporting by CNN, a source familiar with US military operations in the region stated that no dolphins are currently being used in active operations in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the US Navy does maintain a long-standing Marine Mammal Program focused on underwater detection tasks.
A Cold War Program in a Modern Conflict Zone
The US Navy’s marine mammal initiative dates back to 1959 and operates under the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) structure. As outlined by Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, trained bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions are used primarily for detecting underwater mines and protecting ports.
Contrary to popular speculation, the program does not deploy “kamikaze dolphins.” Instead, the animals are trained to locate objects underwater and mark their positions for human divers or naval teams to neutralize.
Defense analysts note that these systems are not designed for active combat zones such as the Strait of Hormuz, where operational risk is significantly higher. Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at RAND Corporation, emphasized that marine mammals are typically deployed in post-conflict or controlled environments rather than during ongoing hostilities.
“You’re not trying to fight your way in with dolphins,” Savitz noted, referencing their historical deployment during mine-clearing operations after the 2003 Iraq conflict, including near the port of Umm Qasr.
Why Dolphins? The Logic Behind the Program
According to US Navy documentation, dolphins possess highly advanced natural sonar capabilities that, in some conditions, outperform artificial systems. Their ability to navigate murky or low-visibility waters makes them effective in detecting submerged mines.
The program operates alongside strict animal welfare frameworks. Dolphins and sea lions reportedly participate voluntarily in training cycles, with handlers noting that animals can exit the program but often return due to behavioral conditioning and environmental protection benefits.
Global Precedents and Controversy
The United States is not alone in exploring marine mammal military applications. Russia has reportedly used dolphins for port protection, while Iran acquired dolphins in 2000, according to the BBC. However, there is no verified evidence of an active Iranian dolphin warfare program today.
Further reporting by Wall Street Journal suggested Iran had explored unconventional ideas, including mine-detection or mine-carrying marine mammals, although these claims remain unconfirmed by official military sources.
Strategic Context: Hormuz and Escalation Risks
The renewed discussion comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Recent reports of mine-related threats have intensified concerns about maritime disruption, particularly following fragile ceasefire dynamics between US and Iranian forces.
Washington has previously warned that any attempt to mine the Strait would constitute a violation of de-escalation understandings, raising the risk of direct military response.
In such an environment, even unconventional military programs—real or perceived—become part of the broader information battlefield shaping deterrence narratives.
Conclusion: Between Myth and Maritime Reality
While the idea of “military dolphins” may appear unusual, it reflects a deeper reality: modern naval warfare increasingly blends advanced technology, unconventional tools, and psychological signaling.
In the Strait of Hormuz, where strategic chokepoints meet geopolitical rivalry, even the most unlikely questions can become part of serious security discourse.
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