The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program (NMMP) is a program administered by the U.S. Navy which studies the military use of marine mammals - principally bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions - and trains animals to perform tasks such as ship and harbor protection, mine detection and clearance, and equipment recovery. The program is based in San Diego, California, where animals are housed and trained on an ongoing basis. NMMP animal teams have been deployed for use in combat zones, such as during the Vietnam War and the Iraq War.
Not "new" lol, the USSR, subsequently Russia and the USA have used dolphins since the cold war.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Marine_Mammal_Program
Apparently these programs often result in animal abuse and dolphins commiting suicide.