Olympic Security Training Continues With Military Aviation Exercise

Royal Air Force and Royal Navy aircraft are in operation over the skies of Yorkshire from today, as part of a major training exercise to prepare for this year’s Olympic Games.

In the latest familiarisation drill, aimed at ensuring the British Armed Forces play an effective supporting role in the police-led security effort, military pilots will practice their skills and drills over a three-day period.

Codenamed Exercise Taurus Mountain 1, and taking place from 24-26 January, it will see fast jet and helicopter pilots put through their paces, as they practice operating alongside one another. Other military aircraft will also take part in the exercise in supporting roles.

Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond MP, said:

“People should be reassured by these exercises. Our military personnel are already trained to incredibly high standards but, with these special exercises, are honing their skills yet further to ensure a safe and secure Olympic Games for the UK this year.”

Wing Commander Paul Godfrey, in charge of operations at RAF Coningsby, said:

“Of course, policing the UK skies is something that Typhoon Force does 24 hours a day, every day of the year, so this week’s exercise is business as normal for us. That said, we take great pride in the fact that we have a key role to play in providing airspace security for the Olympics, and these training flights are part of our training for that important task as we prepare to forward deploy to RAF Northolt later in the year.

“Typhoon is a very potent fighter aircraft – among the most modern and capable of any air force anywhere in the world. I know that the Typhoon Force – many of whom have recently returned for combat operations over Libya – will discharge their duties with great professionalism as part of Defence’s overall mission to provide a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The range of aircraft involved include:

• 2 Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby;
• 2 Puma helicopters from RAF Benson;
• 2 Lynx helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton;
• 1 Sea King SkASACD helicopters from RNAS Culdrose;
• 2 Grob Tutor aircraft from RAF Leeming;
• 1 Sentry E-3D from RAF Waddington.

As announced to Parliament last year, the air security plan for the Olympic Games is multi-layered and will see Typhoon aircraft forward-based at London’s RAF Northolt, helicopters operating from HMS Ocean on the River Thames and appropriate Ground Based Air Defence systems across London.

Training carried out already this year includes a Royal Navy and Royal Marines exercise on the Thames, which also involved the Metropolitan Police Service’s Marine Policing Unit, the Port of London Authority and the UK Border Agency. Meanwhile, the RAF has recently had Typhoon pilots operating in London airspace refining their procedures with the National Air Traffic Services.

Photographs:

Typhoon aircraft from 3sqn RAF Coningsby.

E-3D Sentry taking off at Royal Air Force Waddington.

Typhoon aircraft from 3sqn RAF Coningsby.

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RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2012.