Navy and Army Lynx helicopters on HMS Ocean. Photo: Royal Navy
The
primary form of air defense is provided by RAF Typhoon aircraft which
will form the outer ring of defense outside London. They will be
assisted by Royal Navy Lynx and RAF Puma helicopters armed with snipers
with Ground Based Air Defense forming the final line of security. Under
the Air Security Plan, 30-miles (48km) of airspace surrounding
the Olympic Park would become a restricted flying zone.
The Air
Security Plan for the Olympic Games builds on the Royal Air Force’s
existing defense of UK airspace, which includes round-the-clock radar
surveillance and Typhoon fighters held at high readiness 24/7. The
exercise integrates the additional forces being used to ensure the
safety of the Olympics, as part of the Ministry of Defence’s role to
ensure a safe and secure Games this summer.
These
include the Typhoon fighter jets that arrived at RAF Northolt on
Wednesday May 2nd, (the first time fighter planes are stationed at the
base since the end of World War II). They are testing the procedures
military aircrews will use to intercept and communicate with aircraft
breaching the restricted airspace during the Olympic Games. It will also
evaluate the actions pilots must take in response. Pilots entering the
restricted airspace can expect to be intercepted by Typhoon fighters, or
military helicopters.
A
view of the 'nerve centre' of Operation 'Olympic Guardian', Otherwise
known as the Combined Ops Room or COR. Photo: Cpl Joe Blogs/MoD.
RAF
Puma helicopters, along with Royal Navy and Army Lynx, carrying teams
of RAF Regiment snipers will be on high alert to intercept intruders
into restricted airspace, while airborne surveillance by RAF E-3D Sentry
Airborne Early Warning & Control (AWACS) and Royal Navy Sea King
ASACS (Airborne Surveillance and Control System) provide integration and
airspace control.
On the ground, the RAF is providing
further mobile ground radar systems (Type 101 radar), while the Army is
deploying air observers at 14 additional locations. High Velocity
Missile (HVM) and Rapier missile systems will also provide radar
detection and active defense capability, to provide additional layers of
early warning and low-level air-defense coverage. These Rapier and
Starstreak High Velocity Missiles (HVM) air defense systems were also
deployed in six sites in and around London.
Lynx
MK8 from 815 NAS, leaving HMS Ocean with Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP,
Secretary of State (SofS) for Defence on board. Canary Wharf in visible
the background. The Ocean and Bulwark are currently deployed in the
Thames in London support for Exercise Olympic Guardian. Photo: Royal
Navy, Crown Copyright.
While aircraft activity over the
urban area is expected to increase, Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha, Air
Component Commander for Olympics Air Security assured the disturbance to
the public will be minimal: “We have sought to limit the amount of
flying to the minimum required to ensure that our Forces are ready for
their important role delivering air security for the Olympics, balancing
this against the need for us to reduce disturbance to a minimum.
Rapier
Mk2 missiles fire unit deployed at Blackheath Common, one of six sites
selected for deployment of Ground Based Air defense (GBAD) units during
the Olympic Games this summer. Photo: Richard Watt, MOD
On
May 4th the Royal Navy’s largest warship HMS Ocean has arrived on the
River Thames in preparation for the London Olympics. Berthed at
Greenwich, the ship will act as a launch pad for four Royal Navy Lynx
helicopters and four Army Air Corps Lynx which will patrol the airspace
over the capital. Royal Marines snipers from 539 Assault Squadron and 43
Commando will be on board the Navy Lynx helicopters, ready to shoot out
the engines of suspicious vessels on the water while RAF Regiment
snipers will do the same from the Army Lynx against light aircraft
intruding.
P2000 patrol vessels sailing the Thames river are set
to ensure safety and security and will investigate any unknown craft or
people on the water. Air security will be tested throughout the weekend
during the exercise while river operations are set to take place from
Tuesday.
Captain Andrew Bretton, Commanding Officer of HMS Ocean
said: “As a former Commanding Officer of HMS Westminster, a ship with
such great links to London, I am particularly pleased to be bringing HMS
Ocean to Greenwich to be part of the Olympics, a truly
once-in-a-generation event.” HMS Ocean is the largest ship in the Royal
Navy and is ideally suited to the task of supporting the police in
providing security for the world’s largest and most famous sporting
event. Captain Bretton said.
RAF
Merlin supporting Royal Navy surface assault landing craft operating
with the Dorset Police, as part of 'Operation Olympics' LIVEX. Photo:
Cpl Joe Blogs/MoD.
Olympic Guardian also saw Fleet Flagship
HMS Bulwark stage her own security rehearsals ahead of the Olympic
sailing competition off Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbor. HMS Bulwark
will act as the command platform during the Olympics for the Dorset
Police Authority as well as representatives from the Maritime Coastguard
Agency (MCA), RNLI and regional civil authorities. Royal Navy bomb
disposal experts will be on board and are set to ensure the area is safe
for sailing while Merlin helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron and
embarked Royal Marines will ensure safety from the skies.
As part
of their exercise, the team on board HMS Bulwark practiced their
communications systems and ran through the workings of the airborne and
surface assets. HMS Bulwark’s Commanding Officer Captain Alex Burton is
responsible for the military presence in Dorset during the Games.
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