Introduction

Animals

Training

Fleet Systems

Mine Hunting

Force Protection

Object Recovery

Fleet Support

Deployments

Marine Mammal Health Care

Research Programs

NMMP FAQs

Calendar Wallpaper

Internship Program

In The News

Organizational Chart

Annotated Bibliography

Animal Production:
The Spares Program provides back-up animals for all the systems in the Fleet to help maintain uninterrupted mission readiness. Not only are the spares animals trained the advanced skills they will need to replace an animal that has been taken out of the Fleet, they are also on call, ready to step in at any time to fill in for another animal that is temporarily unavailable or to fill the needs of an expanded mission. It is in the Spares program that new technologies and training techniques are innovated and validated to ensure that the Marine Mammal Program always maintains the highest caliber product.

Technical Representative:
Marine mammal handlers in the Fleet participate in a course of study that includes marine mammal husbandry, training, and systems operations. Each Fleet system is also supported by an experienced civilian marine mammal trainer called a technical representative. Technical representatives are essential personnel and an integral part of the Fleet systems. They provide support and expertise during daily operations, as well as deploying with the systems on military exercises and operations. They also act as a liaison between the Fleet and the NMMP to ensure that the Fleet's needs are being met and that the highest level of animal care is maintained.

Systems Engineering:
An expert team of talented engineers maintains continual vigilance on hardware to ensure the efficiency and safety of current hardware and enhance the operational capabilities of the system through new designs of existing equipment and the development of new hardware.

Maintenance Depot:
The Marine Mammal Program has a materials and equipment storage and maintenance facility known as the Depot to provide Fleet equipment needed for operation of marine mammal systems. The personnel at the Depot have years of experience with the program. They provide an efficient means of helping the Fleet to prepare for an exercise or operation and ensure that all the equipment is properly maintained to enhance mission readiness.