Copter snipers protect Games
RAF training to hit suicide pilots
Helicopter tracks suspect light aircraft and shows signs to pilot ... but if terror pilot does not respond the Sniper fires a warning shot - or aims to kill
EXCLUSIVE
By MIKE SULLIVAN and DAVID WILLETTS
Published: Today at 00:33
BRITAIN’S air defences against any Olympics suicide plane attack by terrorists were put to the test last week.
The Sun joined snipers aboard helicopters for a dramatic “shoot to kill” exercise lasting three days.
It was launched to hone our forces’ ability to stop an explosives-laden light aircraft being flown into one of the many Olympic venues across Britain.
Security chiefs see that as one of the main threats to this summer’s Games. So they have devised a plan for RAF snipers in ’copters to gun down rogue pilots in the restricted air zones over events.
Besides the athletics at the Olympic Stadium in London, these include rowing at Eton Dorney, Bucks, cycling in Surrey and sailing in Dorset.
Target ... suspect plane
The Air Security Plan for the Olympics was launched over North Yorkshire as a scenario involving a Grob light aircraft breaching an air exclusion zone was enacted.A Typhoon fighter from RAF Coningsby, Lincs, was scrambled to intercept the motorised glider, which — with a top speed of just 150mph like most light planes — is too slow for the Typhoon to shadow.
Instead the fighters will pass on the co-ordinates of any plane in restricted airspace.
In the exercise, codenamed Taurus Mountain 4, RAF Puma and Royal Navy Lynx choppers swooped on the Grob and hovered nearby. Each had two snipers with laser-sight rifles.
Air space ... threat to the Olympics spans a wide area
Ready ... Air Cdr Gary Waterfall
Under the plan, pilots “on the loose” will be told to depart or land. If that is ignored, ’copter crews will show boards saying “Follow Me” or “Land Now”. Failure to obey will see a warning round fired. Ultimately the pilot will be killed with a shot to the head over open country rather than risk an event being bombed.
Air Cdr Gary Waterfall, an Olympic air security chief said: “There is no specific threat to the Games but we have to be ready.”
