This in the name of sport??!!!!!

Anti-aircraft missiles to protect Olympics given go-ahead by ministers

03 July 2012

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/antiaircraft-missiles-to-protect-olympics-given-goahead-by-ministers-7906063.html

Ministers today gave the go-ahead for the use of six anti-aircraft missile sites to protect the Olympics.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has approved the deployment despite concerns from some local residents.

The Government will also robustly fight court action aimed at stopping the locating of missile units at key locations to guard the London Games against a terror attack.

The missile sites are on top of a block of flats in Bow, on Blackheath Common, the Lea Valley reservoir, Barn Hill in Epping Forest, Oxleas Meadow in Shooters Hill and in Waltham Forest.

The units will be armed with surface-to-air Starstreak or Rapier missiles.

The weapons travel at three times the speed of sound with a range of 3.4 miles.

David Cameron or other senior Cabinet ministers will have to decide whether to fire them if a plane is bearing down on the Olympic site.

The surface-to-air missiles are being deployed as the third tier of defence aimed at slower or smaller aircraft.

Fast jets stationed at RAF Northolt will also be scrambled to intercept other planes.

Helicopter-borne snipers and SAS special forces will be on standby to deal with a terror threat.

A total of 7,500 soldiers and naval officers will be deployed in London during the Games.

HMS Ocean will anchor in the Thames off Greenwich to serve as a floating base for more than 800 marines

A 1,000 strong unarmed "contingency force" will be on stand-by to help with searches and security surrounding the games venues.

More than 12,500 police officers will be on duty.