Surface-to-air missiles for the Olympics

IMO, terrorists would be best served by not trying to kill people during the Olympics - just go for maximum disruption instead. Let's face it, anybody could pick up the phone and say "big bomb in the stadium" and there will be complete chaos....broadcast live to millions of people around the world. Or just leave a bag full of old wires and Playdough somewhere.....and watch with glee as London is evacuated :rolleyes: The options are limitless, and so easy a 5 year old could bring the city to its knees.

If there isn't a large security fiasco or two during the game I'll be very surprised.
 
So I found out, these sites won't be protected by the Soldiers themselves, but by Armed Police. lol

Also, one of the buildings that has a SAM on top of it only has Armed Police protecting the very top floor leading to the SAM.

There is no protection or guards at the bottom, also this building has a underground garage with no protection.

When asked about this over some Radio talk show, they didn't see any of this as a problem. lol

How would you guard the public lower levels, it would be impossible place a perimeter without seriously impacting residents ability to access their own homes, along with vistors, delivery men etc etc.

Anyway, you want the civilian police doing what they are there to do, you really don't want some form of localised martial law where the Army is doing the job of controling the civilian population.
 
How would you guard the public lower levels, it would be impossible place a perimeter without seriously impacting residents ability to access their own homes, along with vistors, delivery men etc etc.

Anyway, you want the civilian police doing what they are there to do, you really don't want some form of localised martial law where the Army is doing the job of controling the civilian population.

In the case I refer, the building is an tower block, don't they normally have one enterance and exit? Put a guard there or two, how they deal with people who live there is for them to decide.

But like the UK is famous for, we always do everything half-assed.

Personally, I would do a two plan defence setup for each site, the first line should be Police with Army at the second line.
 
In the case I refer, the building is an tower block, don't they normally have one enterance and exit? Put a guard there or two, how they deal with people who live there is for them to decide.

But like the UK is famous for, we always do everything half-assed.

Personally, I would do a two plan defence setup for each site, the first line should be Police with Army at the second line.

No, its for you to decide, its you saying you know how its to be done.

I'm all ears.
 
I think it the public should be consulted or at least be afforded the opportunity to speak out or seek justification.

What is the risk of a hijacked plane crashing into a packed stadium? What's the residual risk post installation of SAMs? Is there a measurable difference? What are the rules of engagement..?

The problem is that the sort of things you want the public to be briefed on are exactly the sort of things that are generally kept secret for various reasons. Especially the rules of engagement and any details on risks/effectiveness.
 
The problem is that the sort of things you want the public to be briefed on are exactly the sort of things that are generally kept secret for various reasons. Especially the rules of engagement and any details on risks/effectiveness.

I have to agree re rules of engagement. Would be interesting to understand them. One has to assume the scenario has been played out in theory at least - probably mulitple scenarios. And at what point is the decision to fire made.

Having said that, as someone said earlier, everything is done half cocked. It's probable scenarios haven't been played out. Had they been - just one, I'm quite sure someone somewhere of reasonable importance would have suggested how stupid the whole thing is.
 
I think you will find that it's through looking at scenarios that they decided it was a GOOD idea.

They don't just put military equipment around the place randomly and hope for the best...

What's 'half cocked' about it? You're looking at one tiny portion of the effort to protect the games, and branding the whole thing as 'half cocked'.
 
RE the announcement of extra armed forces.
"Retired Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry commander in the British Army, said the timing of the announcement was "bizarre".

"We've known about the Olympic Games for seven years, if we couldn't have planned better than this then there's something wrong," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."

Like I said. Half cocked.
 
As I said earlier if the govt believe that there is a possibility of a threat from the air why bother with these sites and just park a type 45 in the Thames? I believe it's just a tool for putting people's mind at rest by so publicly announcing the positioning of these AA sites. Just my opinion.
 
As I said earlier if the govt believe that there is a possibility of a threat from the air why bother with these sites and just park a type 45 in the Thames? I believe it's just a tool for putting people's mind at rest by so publicly announcing the positioning of these AA sites. Just my opinion.
just guessing but i'd imagine parking a type 45 in the Thames would be a lot more expensive than a few strategicaly placed HVM/Rapier, a few arty blokes and kit as opposed to taking a full crew and relocating a ship.
 
just guessing but i'd imagine parking a type 45 in the Thames would be a lot more expensive than a few strategicaly placed HVM/Rapier, a few arty blokes and kit as opposed to taking a full crew and relocating a ship.

As for cost I'm assuming the crew and ship are usually full time so are getting paid regardless of where the ship is moored, I could be wrong though. I would have thought a purpose built air defence destroyer would be more effective than a few missile sites. But most people wouldn't know about the capabilitys of such a ship where as a rapier missile system looks like serious anti jihadist kit, even if it is much less capable.

What I'm getting at is if the govt genuinely believed that there is a serious threat from the air they would use their best tools, I would imagine... Although as some people have said... Perhaps half cocked.
 
As for cost I'm assuming the crew and ship are usually full time so are getting paid regardless of where the ship is moored, I could be wrong though. I would have thought a purpose built air defence destroyer would be more effective than a few missile sites. But most people wouldn't know about the capabilitys of such a ship where as a rapier missile system looks like serious anti jihadist kit, even if it is much less capable.

What I'm getting at is if the govt genuinely believed that there is a serious threat from the air they would use their best tools, I would imagine... Although as some people have said... Perhaps half cocked.
supplies, fuel, running cost etc.

there is always a genuine risk however small it may be so its always good to have something to counter the possibility.
 
Yeah but what is that boat doing now, It's not like they are all sitting empty with no crew so surely the boat is costing money even not being put to use? Again I don't know this as fact but it seems silly to build 6 such ships and mothball them?
 
Yeah but what is that boat doing now, It's not like they are all sitting empty with no crew so surely the boat is costing money even not being put to use? Again I don't know this as fact but it seems silly to build 6 such ships and mothball them?

not sure mate, dont know how the navy guys work, but i would have thought while the ship is in port it would be minimal manning, one to ask the sailors though if there are any on here:confused:
 
Yeah but what is that boat doing now, It's not like they are all sitting empty with no crew so surely the boat is costing money even not being put to use? Again I don't know this as fact but it seems silly to build 6 such ships and mothball them?

IIRC, Daring's deployed to the Persian Gulf, Dauntless is currently the Falklands patrol ship, Diamond's in service, while Dragon's crew is still working up on their new ship. Defender's under builder's sea trials and Duncan's still under construction and not due to be delivered until 2014.

That's pretty much the whole fleet accounted for, and the only one that could be considered 'at a loose end' is Diamond, but I'd imagine they'd need at least one ship on standby in case one of the other's suffer's a breakdown or other mishap.
 
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