Fighter jets flew into a base (Northolt) in northwest London on Wednesday, the first time they will be stationed in the capital since World War Two, at the start of a week of military exercises to test out security ahead of the Olympic Games in July.
What a gash headline. Jets have been flying into Northolt for years without any disruption to LHR at all.
I suspect the only disruption to LHR would come if/when the Typhoons became airborne because of an immediate threat South of London and had to fly over/close by.
But if that is ever the case, I am sure the RAF Pilots are skilled enough to dodge the slightly bigger aircraft and slalom down the line of those on finals approaching runway 27R
at the start of a week of military exercises to test out security ahead of the Olympic Games in July.
I still fail to comprehend this whole American Hollywood style image of fighters being scrambled and shooting down planes if the SAM sites miss them.
I mean honestly, what are you going to achieve either way ? Neither option safeguards the integrity of human life more than the other, you loose if you play either card to its conclusion.
All I can assume is its the UK doing its impression of the tough man from the East End.
I still fail to comprehend this whole American Hollywood style image of fighters being scrambled and shooting down planes if the SAM sites miss them.
I mean honestly, what are you going to achieve either way ?
Given the limited number of police helicopters and their max speed, the Typhoons will be able to get eyes on a target quickly. Apparently they will conduct training flights, it will be fascinating to see how they integrate them into low level traffic over London. Won't be a proper training unless a similar number of helicopters are airborn over Greater London during the training mission as is planned for Olympics, ie media,news, broadcast, police and commercial traffic. Maybe 10 to 20 helis?
Article here in today's Daily Mail, well worth looking at for the pix of the Douglas DC-3 Dakota which crashed on the roof of a house in Ruislip shortly after taking off from Northolt in December 1946. Everyone escaped and left the house by the front door !!
Was all this type of drama staged for any other Olympic Games?
Yeah... didn't the Canadians relieve themselves of the best part of $1 billion for their security operation during the 2010 Winter Olympics ?
Although me thinks it might be partly because their big brother neighbour leant heavily on them to put some extra secuwwwity in.
Quote:
Is this just more pointless willy-waving by a morally and financially bankrupt 'government'?
I would say so yes. A lot of time, effort and money has been expended on civil aviation security since 2001.
Spending more money on it now is a questionable course of action when there are many easier targets available in a sprawling conurbation like London. There's no way you'll find me taking the Tube anywhere during the Olympics.... assuming I'm even going to be in London at all !
Its a two pronged strategy. Firstly in advance of an event you reassure the public that you have a contingency plan in the event of things not being as they should but perhaps more importantly you are sending a message to the "silly brigade" i.e not the true fanatics but what I would call the lets have a shot at disruption idiots to say go away and leave us to deal with the real potential threat from well organised carefully planned fanatics. personally, I don't see anything disrupting the Olympics this time as I think in 1972 the Munich incident didnt do their cause much good.
The Olympics is seen as a peaceful event bringing Nations of the whole world together in sport. Disrupt that and consider will your cause or belief increase? Not sure. but better prepared always...
Despite what the article says, the DC3 has 'RAILWAY AIR SERVICES' down the side
From Wiki.
In August 1946, the UK government formed the British European Airways Corporation (BEA) a state-owned airline. The airline was given a monopoly of scheduled air services within the United Kingdom and to continental Europe. From 1 August RAS operated all its services on behalf of BEA until it ceased operations on 31 January 1947 with the state Corporation acquiring the RAS aircraft, staff and routes. [
I must admit I'd never heard of Railway Air Services. According to the article it was a joint company of the Big Four railway companies and Imperial Airways.
For those on Westerly's into LCY and LHR, best try and keep keep within one dot of the localiser abeam the stadium I'm thinking.
Maybe, even better, publish a temporary circling approach to a three mile final for 27L/R off the ILS 09s. Opportunity for a bit of manual handling practise as well. Not sure about LCY though.
As far as sticking this missile kit on top of occupied local buildings goes, I feel confident that the Health and Safety Executive office in Tower Hamlets, or where ever will be keeping an eye on the Army's training for monitoring the compliance regime designed to self-correct the sustainable transport strategy as it is rolled out........particularly if it's raining.
I recall reading, that DC3 was so iced up and slow, that it probably flumped onto the roof with negligible forward speed.
Had a friend who was posted to Northolt at the time of September 11th, said two Tornados appeared shortly after the twin towers fell, arrived and were in a hanger, secured and guarded, complete with 'warshots' hanging off the missile rails, roumered same thing happened at Biggin Hill.
