Advertise with us - 01737 64 24 24
Home Contact Us About Us Help/FAQs Shop Mail Jobs Forums
Search
Thursday February 23rd 2012


  NEWS
Previous Page  
This News Item
courtesy of

Major Military Exercise Planned In Run-Up To Games


Friday, January 27, 2012


Military forces will stage a major high-profile exercise on the streets of London and Weymouth in May to prepare for this summer's Olympics, which it is hoped will act as a deterrent to possible terrorists and reassure the public.

Following exercises on the River Thames last week to establish co-operation between the Royal Marines and the Metropolitan police and exercises over Yorkshire this week in which jets are training with helicopters, the exercise will represent the culmination of attempts to plan for the biggest ever logistical challenge faced on domestic soil.

General Sir Nick Parker announced plans for the exercise on Wednesday at a Royal United Services Institute conference on Olympic security.

"It is possible that some of the training will be more in the public eye than usual, but I believe that this should be reassuring," he said.

"Our scenarios have not been developed in response to a direct threat but will test our ability to operate within the joint operating procedures and authorisations that will be in use during the Games."

Although security services have not received any specific threat against the Games, the police and military are planning for the threat level to be set at "severe".

Since it was revealed last month that 13,500 military personnel would assist up to 12,000 police and more than 16,000 private security contractors and volunteers, there have been concerns that the military presence will prove overbearing.

Up to 7,500 military personnel will assist with security within venues, while a further 5,000 will assist police in specific areas, including navy support in the Thames and the coast off Weymouth, where sailing events will take place, and provide army support in areas such as bomb disposal.

There will be warships stationed in the Thames at Greenwich and in Weymouth, while air support will be supplied by Typhoon fighter jets stationed at RAF Northolt, helicopters stationed in London and ground to air missiles stationed strategically around the capital.

Parker said that around 1,000 soldiers would be deployed as a "strong, unarmed Military Contingency Force that will be available to respond flexibly to Olympics-related civil tasks".

The London 2012 chairman, Lord Coe, senior police officers and politicians have since moved to try and allay fears that the military presence will affect the atmosphere of the Games.

Parker, the army commander of land forces, said that he did not expect the presence of the military in uniform to "impact on the sporting nature of this event".

"I have a hunch that the public we represent will be delighted to see us doing a good job in the way they have come to expect from British soldiers, sailors and airmen," he said.

Parker also promised that not only would the British military be able to sustain its commitment in Afghanistan but would be able to retain "a reserve capability outside our contribution to the Olympics to react to any other unexpected or unplanned requirements in the UK".

 

Print A Printer Friendly Version Of This News Item
For more information click on or go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/
© Guardian Unlimited 2012
Sign up for free
to the following
military news;
Patrol Store special offers newsletter
Weekly Newsletter
Select both
& keep up to date!

First Name

Surname

Email address


News Archive  Military Information  Online Dating  Military Equipment UK  
Lowa Boots  Military Kit Reviews  Uniform Dating  Site Map  Disclaimer  Patrol Store Ebay  
  © NSI (Holdings) Ltd 2011