Royal Marines from 539 Assault Squadron in a patrol boat, armed with a heavy weapon, skipping over waves on the River Thames.REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly
Royal Marines from 539 Assault Squadron in a patrol boat, armed with a heavy weapon, skipping over waves on the River Thames.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyA Royal Marines helicopter looms overhead as a Scotland Yard boat follows a Marines boat down the river in a joint exercise. In the background is the Shard skyscraper, which is nearing completion. It will be Europe's tallest building once work is finished.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyPatrol boats and offshore raiding boats filled with elite teams of Royal Marines glide along near the banks of the River Thames. They will be among the first to respond to any large-scale response to a big emergency at the London 2012 Olympic Games.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyA Royal Marines helicopter flies towards the Millennium Dome and skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, in the joint police and military exercise on the Thames. Helicopters would play a crucial navigational role if anything were to happen at the London 2012 Olympic Games, with their bird's eye view advantage.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyA NATO helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan late Thursday took the lives of six members of the international military force. The crash is the deadliest helicopter-related incident in the country since August 2011 when 38 soldiers were killed.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyPolice in Scotland Yard's marine squad will play a vital role in the response to any large-scale emergency at London 2012.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyWith Canary Wharf's skyscrapers dominating the backdrop, officers from the Met Police's Marine Policing Unit speed down the River Thames.REUTERS/Finbarr O'ReillyzdfgREUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly
Crack teams from the Royal Marines and Metropolitan Police took to the skies over London and the Thames to highlight security arrangements for the Olympic Games in a very public display.
They were practising their reaction to a potential security disaster or large-scale incident.
Scotland Yard's Marine Police Unit joined marines from 539 Assault Squadron in the first of a series of joint exercises in preparation for London 2012.
"As we get closer to the games, the public can expect to see more exercises like this, which I hope will provide reassurance that everything possible is being done to ensure the event is safe, secure and enjoyable for all those attending and participating," said Philip Hammond, defence secretary.
"This exercise is an example of the way in which military personnel and assets will support the police-led security effort."
About £530m is being spent on security at London 2012. Funds will cover 7,500 military personnel supporting 16,200 security guards inside the Olympic Park, with 12,000 police officers and 6,000 more armed service personnel on the streets.
