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Just as a correction/clarification, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was Prince Philip's uncle rather than Queen Elizabeth's uncle (although doubtless there was some blood relationship).
British Military Current Events
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daftandbarmy
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What a way to treat mourning heroes: Soldier pallbearers rehearsing for funeral of comrade killed in Afghanistan banned from drinking tea in bar because they were wearing uniform
The men, including the soldier’s brother, took a break from rehearsing their duties for the funeral of Corporal Michael Thacker in Coventry Cathedral
Browns bar turned them away because they said they breached their dress code, despite the men wearing their second smartest dress uniform
A Facebook group calling for the bar to be boycotted this coming Armed Forces Day has been backed by 60,000 people
‘What they are saying is that you can protect our country, but you can’t have a drink in my bar,' grieving wife Catherine said
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2165433/Soldier-pallbearers-rehearsing-funeral-comrade-killed-Afghanistan-banned-drinking-tea-bar-wearing-uniform.html#ixzz1z98rWI6R
The men, including the soldier’s brother, took a break from rehearsing their duties for the funeral of Corporal Michael Thacker in Coventry Cathedral
Browns bar turned them away because they said they breached their dress code, despite the men wearing their second smartest dress uniform
A Facebook group calling for the bar to be boycotted this coming Armed Forces Day has been backed by 60,000 people
‘What they are saying is that you can protect our country, but you can’t have a drink in my bar,' grieving wife Catherine said
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2165433/Soldier-pallbearers-rehearsing-funeral-comrade-killed-Afghanistan-banned-drinking-tea-bar-wearing-uniform.html#ixzz1z98rWI6R
AmmoTech90
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daftandbarmy
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Army’s most senior female officer quits amid cuts anger
The Army’s most senior female officer has resigned just days before the announcement of a restructuring programme which will see the service drastically reduced in size, with some historic battalions disappearing.
Brigadier Nicky Moffat, who just six months ago declared that there was “no better time” for women to join the Army, is understood to have become despondent at the depth and severity of the Government’s cuts.
On Thursday, ministers will announce a package of changes which will see the Army manpower reduced from around 100,000 soldiers to 82,000 by 2020, its smallest size in a century.
Brig Moffat, 50, has told her bosses that she wanted to take voluntary redundancy after 26 years service.
The brigadier, who is the Armed Forces head of pay and strategic manning at the Ministry of Defence, joined the now defunct Women’s Royal Army Corps after leaving the University of Liverpool and has since enjoyed a series of promotions to her current position. Her roles have included a spell as military private secretary to former defence secretary Geoff Hoon. She was widely expected to become the first female general in British military history and her departure is said to have left many colleagues stunned.
Her resignation has been followed by that of another high-ranking officer, Brigadier Justin Maciejewski, the director of combat, who has also taken voluntary redundancy. He is also understood to have become disillusioned by the extent of the cuts.
Brig Maciejewski, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Order after leading The Rifles in Basra in 2007, is regarded as one of the best officers of his generation and was earmarked as a future Chief of the General Staff. Both officers, who have been in the Army for the past 26 years, will leave in the next six months with redundancy packages worth around £190,000.
The high profile resignations underline the growing resentment in all ranks of the military after months of cuts and redundancies.
Presentations are being given to soldiers by Major General James Everard, the Assistant Chief of the General Staff, in which they are warned of the “great challenges” which still lie ahead as part of the restructuring, which include a reduction in manpower of 6,000 in 2013 and a further 5,000 in 2014.
One senior officer last night told The Sunday Telegraph: “I have never seen morale as low as this. There has been a complete breakdown down of trust and faith between the Army and the government.”
As part of the restructuring - known as Future Force 2020 - the number of infantry battalions is expected to reduce from 36 to 25. Full details of the cuts were due to be made several weeks ago but, much to the frustration of Army chiefs, the announcement has been delayed by Downing Street.
The Government is seeking an agreement which, according to one senior official, will “give the Army something they can live with and will be presentationally acceptable”.
However, The Sunday Telegraph understands that while some infantry battalions will be axed, such as those suffering from historically poor recruitment or those with a high proportion of foreign or Commonwealth troops, others have been earmarked as “untouchables”.
These are thought to include the entire Household Division, which is composed of the five Foot Guard battalions — the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards — as well as the Household Cavalry, composed of the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards.
The Parachute Regiment, which supplies more than half the troops to the SAS and the majority of soldiers for the Special Forces Support Group, will remain as a three-battalion regiment. The Royal Irish Regiment, the last single-battalion regiment in the Army, will also escape the axe.
Beyond the infantry, the Royal Logistic Corps is facing a cut of 25 per cent down to 12,000 soldiers, although its bomb disposal arm, which has grown in recent years to deal with the improvised explosive device threat in Afghanistan, will remain untouched.
The Corps of Royal Engineers will be reduced by 30 per cent to 5,500 troops, with a similar cut to fall on the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
The 15 Royal Artillery regiments will be reduced by a third to 5,000 troops, with almost its entire fleet of AS90 self-propelled guns being mothballed or held at “readiness” by Territorial Army units.
The five tank and five reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps are also facing a similar reduction, with many of their vehicles also being passed to the TA, so they can be brought into action when needed.
The Army Air Corps will see some of its older helicopters, such as the Lynx, being axed, but its fleet of Apaches, which counts Prince Harry among its pilots, will not face any reductions.
The infantry units at greatest risk of cuts are those of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which will lose one or possibly two of its five battalions. The regiment has struggled to recruit for many years.
Both the Yorkshire Regiment and the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment – which recently had members killed in Afghanistan – and The Rifles are also thought to be vulnerable.
There is also a growing view within the Army that the Gurkhas should be axed before “any British regiments go to the wall” .
After 2020, the regular Army’s 82,000 soldiers will be supported by 30,000 territorial troops. It will be composed of five multi-role brigades together with 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Army’s high-readiness rapid-response unit.
Under the new structure commanders will move away from “enduring operations” such as Iraq or Afghanistan, and instead focus on short-term “contingency operations” such as in Libya, where Special Forces supported rebels.
The Army will remain committed to “homeland resilience”, such as supplying assistance to the Government during strikes or times of national crisis, such as the foot and mouth epidemic.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9366975/Armys-most-senior-female-officer-quits-amid-cuts-anger.html
The Army’s most senior female officer has resigned just days before the announcement of a restructuring programme which will see the service drastically reduced in size, with some historic battalions disappearing.
Brigadier Nicky Moffat, who just six months ago declared that there was “no better time” for women to join the Army, is understood to have become despondent at the depth and severity of the Government’s cuts.
On Thursday, ministers will announce a package of changes which will see the Army manpower reduced from around 100,000 soldiers to 82,000 by 2020, its smallest size in a century.
Brig Moffat, 50, has told her bosses that she wanted to take voluntary redundancy after 26 years service.
The brigadier, who is the Armed Forces head of pay and strategic manning at the Ministry of Defence, joined the now defunct Women’s Royal Army Corps after leaving the University of Liverpool and has since enjoyed a series of promotions to her current position. Her roles have included a spell as military private secretary to former defence secretary Geoff Hoon. She was widely expected to become the first female general in British military history and her departure is said to have left many colleagues stunned.
Her resignation has been followed by that of another high-ranking officer, Brigadier Justin Maciejewski, the director of combat, who has also taken voluntary redundancy. He is also understood to have become disillusioned by the extent of the cuts.
Brig Maciejewski, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Order after leading The Rifles in Basra in 2007, is regarded as one of the best officers of his generation and was earmarked as a future Chief of the General Staff. Both officers, who have been in the Army for the past 26 years, will leave in the next six months with redundancy packages worth around £190,000.
The high profile resignations underline the growing resentment in all ranks of the military after months of cuts and redundancies.
Presentations are being given to soldiers by Major General James Everard, the Assistant Chief of the General Staff, in which they are warned of the “great challenges” which still lie ahead as part of the restructuring, which include a reduction in manpower of 6,000 in 2013 and a further 5,000 in 2014.
One senior officer last night told The Sunday Telegraph: “I have never seen morale as low as this. There has been a complete breakdown down of trust and faith between the Army and the government.”
As part of the restructuring - known as Future Force 2020 - the number of infantry battalions is expected to reduce from 36 to 25. Full details of the cuts were due to be made several weeks ago but, much to the frustration of Army chiefs, the announcement has been delayed by Downing Street.
The Government is seeking an agreement which, according to one senior official, will “give the Army something they can live with and will be presentationally acceptable”.
However, The Sunday Telegraph understands that while some infantry battalions will be axed, such as those suffering from historically poor recruitment or those with a high proportion of foreign or Commonwealth troops, others have been earmarked as “untouchables”.
These are thought to include the entire Household Division, which is composed of the five Foot Guard battalions — the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards — as well as the Household Cavalry, composed of the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards.
The Parachute Regiment, which supplies more than half the troops to the SAS and the majority of soldiers for the Special Forces Support Group, will remain as a three-battalion regiment. The Royal Irish Regiment, the last single-battalion regiment in the Army, will also escape the axe.
Beyond the infantry, the Royal Logistic Corps is facing a cut of 25 per cent down to 12,000 soldiers, although its bomb disposal arm, which has grown in recent years to deal with the improvised explosive device threat in Afghanistan, will remain untouched.
The Corps of Royal Engineers will be reduced by 30 per cent to 5,500 troops, with a similar cut to fall on the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
The 15 Royal Artillery regiments will be reduced by a third to 5,000 troops, with almost its entire fleet of AS90 self-propelled guns being mothballed or held at “readiness” by Territorial Army units.
The five tank and five reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps are also facing a similar reduction, with many of their vehicles also being passed to the TA, so they can be brought into action when needed.
The Army Air Corps will see some of its older helicopters, such as the Lynx, being axed, but its fleet of Apaches, which counts Prince Harry among its pilots, will not face any reductions.
The infantry units at greatest risk of cuts are those of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which will lose one or possibly two of its five battalions. The regiment has struggled to recruit for many years.
Both the Yorkshire Regiment and the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment – which recently had members killed in Afghanistan – and The Rifles are also thought to be vulnerable.
There is also a growing view within the Army that the Gurkhas should be axed before “any British regiments go to the wall” .
After 2020, the regular Army’s 82,000 soldiers will be supported by 30,000 territorial troops. It will be composed of five multi-role brigades together with 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Army’s high-readiness rapid-response unit.
Under the new structure commanders will move away from “enduring operations” such as Iraq or Afghanistan, and instead focus on short-term “contingency operations” such as in Libya, where Special Forces supported rebels.
The Army will remain committed to “homeland resilience”, such as supplying assistance to the Government during strikes or times of national crisis, such as the foot and mouth epidemic.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9366975/Armys-most-senior-female-officer-quits-amid-cuts-anger.html
And a bit more detail re the cuts from the Telegraph's website. It is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provision of the Copyright Act.
Battalions with foreign bias face axe in Army cuts
Historic battalions that rely on foreign-born recruits for up to a fifth of their strength face being axed next week in the most significant reforms to the Army in a century.
By Thomas Harding, and James Kirkup
10:28PM BST 29 Jun 2012
The Government will outline next Thursday which units will be cut or merged under the Future Force 2020 proposals as the Army shrinks to 82,000 men, its lowest level since the Napoleonic Wars.
At least five infantry battalions will be cut, with many amalgamated with other units or turned into Territorial Army units. Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, has suggested that battalions with a high proportion of foreign and Commonwealth troops are more vulnerable.
Figures seen by The Daily Telegraph show that at least three of the 36 infantry battalions — the Royal Highland Fusiliers (2 Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland), 1st Bn Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and 5 Bn The Rifles — have between 15 and 20 per cent of troops drawn from overseas. Common recruiting grounds include the Caribbean and Fiji.
The plans put forward by Lt Gen Nick Carter will be the biggest change to the Army since 1904. They have been delayed for months amid wrangling over which regiments will survive. The Scottish units have lobbied hard for survival but English MPs have also called for battalions based in their constituencies to be retained, especially with the possibility of Scottish independence.
It is expected that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5 Scots), whose Royal colonel is the Queen, will either be axed or turned into a TA unit. Other units likely to be cut or amalgamated include 3 Bn the Yorkshire Regiment, 2 Bn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, 3 Bn Mercian Regiment and 5 Bn The Rifles.
In addition, between two and five cavalry regiments will disappear, including the merger of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, known as the Welsh Cavalry. There will also be cuts to the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Logistic Corps and other support regiments.
One suggestion said to have been put forward by Downing Street was saving all infantry battalions by cutting them from 600 to 400 troops but that was rejected by Army chiefs.
The Army celebrates Armed Forces Day today but morale is low after the latest round of redundancies led to officers being sacked close to qualifying for an immediate pension.
The “super regiments” formed six years ago are each likely to have a battalion axed, amalgamated or turned into a Territorial Army unit.
This could lead to the merging of 2 Bn and 3 Bn the Yorkshire Regiment, which still carry their illustrious old unit names of the Green Howards and the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. It led one officer to remark: “What are they going to call it if they amalgamate? The 'Green Wellingtons’? It’s preposterous.”
It is possible that a “super regiment” will be formed from the Royal Anglian Regiment, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Proposed names are the East of England Regiment or the English Fusiliers.
Lt Gen Carter will introduce a new formation called the Reaction Force, a division of three armoured brigades of two tank and three infantry regiments each. It will be used for expeditionary warfare.
There will be second section — known as Adaptable Forces — of seven infantry brigades to be used for long-running deployments and standing commitments. However, it will have to draw significantly on a new force of 30,000 TA soldiers.
An MoD spokesman said: “Recruitment performance is just one of the criteria determining the future shape of the Army. These are necessary changes due to the decisions which had to be made to tackle the multi-billion pound defence deficit inherited from the last government.”
Battalions with foreign bias face axe in Army cuts
Historic battalions that rely on foreign-born recruits for up to a fifth of their strength face being axed next week in the most significant reforms to the Army in a century.
By Thomas Harding, and James Kirkup
10:28PM BST 29 Jun 2012
The Government will outline next Thursday which units will be cut or merged under the Future Force 2020 proposals as the Army shrinks to 82,000 men, its lowest level since the Napoleonic Wars.
At least five infantry battalions will be cut, with many amalgamated with other units or turned into Territorial Army units. Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, has suggested that battalions with a high proportion of foreign and Commonwealth troops are more vulnerable.
Figures seen by The Daily Telegraph show that at least three of the 36 infantry battalions — the Royal Highland Fusiliers (2 Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland), 1st Bn Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and 5 Bn The Rifles — have between 15 and 20 per cent of troops drawn from overseas. Common recruiting grounds include the Caribbean and Fiji.
The plans put forward by Lt Gen Nick Carter will be the biggest change to the Army since 1904. They have been delayed for months amid wrangling over which regiments will survive. The Scottish units have lobbied hard for survival but English MPs have also called for battalions based in their constituencies to be retained, especially with the possibility of Scottish independence.
It is expected that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5 Scots), whose Royal colonel is the Queen, will either be axed or turned into a TA unit. Other units likely to be cut or amalgamated include 3 Bn the Yorkshire Regiment, 2 Bn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, 3 Bn Mercian Regiment and 5 Bn The Rifles.
In addition, between two and five cavalry regiments will disappear, including the merger of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, known as the Welsh Cavalry. There will also be cuts to the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Logistic Corps and other support regiments.
One suggestion said to have been put forward by Downing Street was saving all infantry battalions by cutting them from 600 to 400 troops but that was rejected by Army chiefs.
The Army celebrates Armed Forces Day today but morale is low after the latest round of redundancies led to officers being sacked close to qualifying for an immediate pension.
The “super regiments” formed six years ago are each likely to have a battalion axed, amalgamated or turned into a Territorial Army unit.
This could lead to the merging of 2 Bn and 3 Bn the Yorkshire Regiment, which still carry their illustrious old unit names of the Green Howards and the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. It led one officer to remark: “What are they going to call it if they amalgamate? The 'Green Wellingtons’? It’s preposterous.”
It is possible that a “super regiment” will be formed from the Royal Anglian Regiment, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Proposed names are the East of England Regiment or the English Fusiliers.
Lt Gen Carter will introduce a new formation called the Reaction Force, a division of three armoured brigades of two tank and three infantry regiments each. It will be used for expeditionary warfare.
There will be second section — known as Adaptable Forces — of seven infantry brigades to be used for long-running deployments and standing commitments. However, it will have to draw significantly on a new force of 30,000 TA soldiers.
An MoD spokesman said: “Recruitment performance is just one of the criteria determining the future shape of the Army. These are necessary changes due to the decisions which had to be made to tackle the multi-billion pound defence deficit inherited from the last government.”
daftandbarmy
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Three British soldiers killed in AfghanistanSoldiers die after man wearing Afghan police uniform opens fire at checkpoint in Helmand province
Three British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan by a gunman wearing a police uniform who opened fire on them as they prepared to leave a checkpoint.
In what appears to have been the latest "green-on-blue" incident, the gunman shot the three troops at checkpoint Kamparack Pul in Nahr-e-Saraj, Helmand province, during what should have been a routine visit on Sunday afternoon. All three were treated at the scene, but died from their injuries, the Ministry of Defence said.
The soldiers – two of whom were serving with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one with the Royal Corps of Signals – had been working in an Afghan police advisory team and had been conducting a "shura", or consultation, with their colleagues. Next of kin have been informed.
In a statement, the MoD said the gunman struck as the three soldiers were preparing to leave. The suspect, who was also injured, is in custody. It is believed he is a member of the Afghan National Civil Order Police (Ancop), a special unit set up in 2006 and regarded as much more professional and highly-trained force compared to locally recruited officers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/02/three-british-soldiers-killed-afghanistan
Three British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan by a gunman wearing a police uniform who opened fire on them as they prepared to leave a checkpoint.
In what appears to have been the latest "green-on-blue" incident, the gunman shot the three troops at checkpoint Kamparack Pul in Nahr-e-Saraj, Helmand province, during what should have been a routine visit on Sunday afternoon. All three were treated at the scene, but died from their injuries, the Ministry of Defence said.
The soldiers – two of whom were serving with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one with the Royal Corps of Signals – had been working in an Afghan police advisory team and had been conducting a "shura", or consultation, with their colleagues. Next of kin have been informed.
In a statement, the MoD said the gunman struck as the three soldiers were preparing to leave. The suspect, who was also injured, is in custody. It is believed he is a member of the Afghan National Civil Order Police (Ancop), a special unit set up in 2006 and regarded as much more professional and highly-trained force compared to locally recruited officers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/02/three-british-soldiers-killed-afghanistan
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The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) are looking smarter and smarter every passing year.
TN2IC
Army.ca Veteran
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CBC News
Link
Londoners lose bid against rooftop missiles for Olympics
It has been a tough few months at the pockmarked concrete high-rise known as Fred Wigg Tower. First there was the fire, which left dozens of residents temporarily homeless. Then came the rash of burglaries of fire-damaged apartments. And now the British army will be putting a battery of high-velocity missiles on the roof.
The defence ministry says the missiles, capable of shooting down a hijacked aircraft, are a key piece in the elaborate jigsaw of security for the London Olympics, which start July 27. But many residents of the east London public housing project were dismayed to find themselves suddenly on the counterterrorism front line.
"It's kind of scary now, to be honest," said Iqbal Hossain, who lives in the building with his wife and three children aged 2 to 14. "If it's about safety for the Olympics, what about safety for us? If there is a terrorist attack, the first thing they are going to attack is the missiles."
A High Court judge rejected that argument Tuesday, quashing a challenge by locals. Judge Charles Haddon-Cave said the missiles presented "no real threat" to residents and were an important part of Olympic security.
The missiles will be installed within days on the 17-story tower, one of six sites around London where surface-to-air missiles will be stationed as part of a vast security operation for games that run through Aug. 12. Rapier or smaller high-velocity missiles also will be located atop another apartment building, at a reservoir and on farmland in east London, and along hillsides in the south of the city.
It's all part of a ring of steel protecting the games, which officials acknowledge are a tempting target for terrorists.
The security operation includes 7,500 soldiers, thousands of police and 13,200 private security guards, as well as RAF fighter jets on standby at nearby air bases and a helicopter carrier moored on the River Thames.
'Powerful deterrent'
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said the precautions are intended to provide "both reassurance and a powerful deterrent."
Londoners have long lived with the threat of terrorism. Since the 1970s the city has seen deadly attacks by Irish militants, by a far-right extremist who targeted gay people and ethnic minorities, and by al-Qaeda-inspired suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters on the transit system in July 2005.
Britain's official terror threat level stands at substantial, the middle point on a five-point scale, indicating an attack is a strong possibility. Still, the ranking is lower than it has been for much of the time since the July 2005 attacks.
Intelligence officials say there has been an expected increase in chatter among extremist groups ahead of the Olympics but they have uncovered no specific or credible threats to the games.
But security services are being especially vigilant as the games approach. Over the past week, 14 people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorist activity, although police insist none of the cases is linked to the Summer Games. Three men from central England appeared in a London court Tuesday, charged with making a homemade bomb and plotting a terrorist attack, after a search of an impounded car turned up guns and other weapons.
© The Associated Press, 2012
Link
Londoners lose bid against rooftop missiles for Olympics
It has been a tough few months at the pockmarked concrete high-rise known as Fred Wigg Tower. First there was the fire, which left dozens of residents temporarily homeless. Then came the rash of burglaries of fire-damaged apartments. And now the British army will be putting a battery of high-velocity missiles on the roof.
The defence ministry says the missiles, capable of shooting down a hijacked aircraft, are a key piece in the elaborate jigsaw of security for the London Olympics, which start July 27. But many residents of the east London public housing project were dismayed to find themselves suddenly on the counterterrorism front line.
"It's kind of scary now, to be honest," said Iqbal Hossain, who lives in the building with his wife and three children aged 2 to 14. "If it's about safety for the Olympics, what about safety for us? If there is a terrorist attack, the first thing they are going to attack is the missiles."
A High Court judge rejected that argument Tuesday, quashing a challenge by locals. Judge Charles Haddon-Cave said the missiles presented "no real threat" to residents and were an important part of Olympic security.
The missiles will be installed within days on the 17-story tower, one of six sites around London where surface-to-air missiles will be stationed as part of a vast security operation for games that run through Aug. 12. Rapier or smaller high-velocity missiles also will be located atop another apartment building, at a reservoir and on farmland in east London, and along hillsides in the south of the city.
It's all part of a ring of steel protecting the games, which officials acknowledge are a tempting target for terrorists.
The security operation includes 7,500 soldiers, thousands of police and 13,200 private security guards, as well as RAF fighter jets on standby at nearby air bases and a helicopter carrier moored on the River Thames.
'Powerful deterrent'
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said the precautions are intended to provide "both reassurance and a powerful deterrent."
Londoners have long lived with the threat of terrorism. Since the 1970s the city has seen deadly attacks by Irish militants, by a far-right extremist who targeted gay people and ethnic minorities, and by al-Qaeda-inspired suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters on the transit system in July 2005.
Britain's official terror threat level stands at substantial, the middle point on a five-point scale, indicating an attack is a strong possibility. Still, the ranking is lower than it has been for much of the time since the July 2005 attacks.
Intelligence officials say there has been an expected increase in chatter among extremist groups ahead of the Olympics but they have uncovered no specific or credible threats to the games.
But security services are being especially vigilant as the games approach. Over the past week, 14 people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorist activity, although police insist none of the cases is linked to the Summer Games. Three men from central England appeared in a London court Tuesday, charged with making a homemade bomb and plotting a terrorist attack, after a search of an impounded car turned up guns and other weapons.
© The Associated Press, 2012
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
- Reaction score
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Oh, this should be good. I can hear the lawyers popping champagne from here! :facepalm:
Bloody Sunday deaths: Police to launch a murder inquiry 40 years after 13 people were shot dead by soldiers
Detectives are to launch a murder investigation into the Bloody Sunday deaths of 13 civilians shot dead by British soldiers in Londonderry more than 40 years ago.
The probe will last at least four years and raises the possibility that former British soldiers – some now in their 70s and 80s – could stand trial facing criminal charges.
Thirty officers will focus on the actions of UK paratroopers following the findings of the £195 million inquiry by Lord Saville which said none of those killed were armed and no warning was given before soldiers opened fire.
Last night a former Parachute Regiment soldier on duty at Bloody Sunday claimed ex-troops were being made ‘political scapegoats’. ‘It is an appalling betrayal,’ he said.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169309/Bloody-Sunday-deaths-Police-launch-murder-inquiry-40-years-13-people-shot-dead-soldiers.html#ixzz20F2wrEwD
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169309/Bloody-Sunday-deaths-Police-launch-murder-inquiry-40-years-13-people-shot-dead-soldiers.html
Bloody Sunday deaths: Police to launch a murder inquiry 40 years after 13 people were shot dead by soldiers
Detectives are to launch a murder investigation into the Bloody Sunday deaths of 13 civilians shot dead by British soldiers in Londonderry more than 40 years ago.
The probe will last at least four years and raises the possibility that former British soldiers – some now in their 70s and 80s – could stand trial facing criminal charges.
Thirty officers will focus on the actions of UK paratroopers following the findings of the £195 million inquiry by Lord Saville which said none of those killed were armed and no warning was given before soldiers opened fire.
Last night a former Parachute Regiment soldier on duty at Bloody Sunday claimed ex-troops were being made ‘political scapegoats’. ‘It is an appalling betrayal,’ he said.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169309/Bloody-Sunday-deaths-Police-launch-murder-inquiry-40-years-13-people-shot-dead-soldiers.html#ixzz20F2wrEwD
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169309/Bloody-Sunday-deaths-Police-launch-murder-inquiry-40-years-13-people-shot-dead-soldiers.html
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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RAF's newest transport aircraft named Atlas
The RAF's next generation military transport aircraft has officially been named Atlas at the Royal International Air Tattoo, which is taking place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF's existing C-130 Hercules fleet and, along with the Voyager and C-17, will provide the UK military's future air transport force.
The UK is buying 22 of the aircraft from Airbus Military, and the first Atlas is expected to be delivered to the RAF in 2014.
Able to carry twice as much as the Hercules, Atlas can transport 32 tonnes of cargo over a range of 4,500km, providing unprecedented capability to support the UK Armed Forces.
It can move up to 116 paratroopers and large armoured vehicles such as Mastiffs as well as vast amounts of humanitarian and disaster relief. The aircraft's ability to land on semi-permanent runways and rough ground means Atlas can fly its cargo into the centre of operations, supplying tactical forward bases or evacuating casualties or refugees.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/RafsNewestTransportAircraftNamedAtlas.htm
The RAF's next generation military transport aircraft has officially been named Atlas at the Royal International Air Tattoo, which is taking place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF's existing C-130 Hercules fleet and, along with the Voyager and C-17, will provide the UK military's future air transport force.
The UK is buying 22 of the aircraft from Airbus Military, and the first Atlas is expected to be delivered to the RAF in 2014.
Able to carry twice as much as the Hercules, Atlas can transport 32 tonnes of cargo over a range of 4,500km, providing unprecedented capability to support the UK Armed Forces.
It can move up to 116 paratroopers and large armoured vehicles such as Mastiffs as well as vast amounts of humanitarian and disaster relief. The aircraft's ability to land on semi-permanent runways and rough ground means Atlas can fly its cargo into the centre of operations, supplying tactical forward bases or evacuating casualties or refugees.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/RafsNewestTransportAircraftNamedAtlas.htm
J
jollyjacktar
Guest
Funny for a country that was recently hacking and slashing they seem to be on a bit of a buying spree. They also don't seem to have any problem getting their new bird things in a reasonable time either.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2171993/Army-unveils-fleet-26m-Wildcat-combat-helicopters.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2171993/Army-unveils-fleet-26m-Wildcat-combat-helicopters.html
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Aux armes!
French demand Crown Jewels from the Queen to compensate for 1499 murder of Edward Plantagenet
• French city of Angers in Loire Valley provided some of the greatest monarchs in British history
• When Edward Plantagenet was murdered in Tower of London in 1499 house's legitimate male line came to an end
• City believes it is owed an apology – and 513 years' worth of compensation
• Sum would amount to billions in today's currency, but city is prepared to accept the coronation jewels
A French city which produced 14 English kings is demanding the Crown Jewels as compensation from the Queen for the murder of its last pretender to the throne.
Angers, which is in the Loire Valley west of Paris, was once the capital of the Anjou province and the House of Plantagenet.
It ruled England from 1154 until 1485, providing some of the greatest monarchs in British history, including Richard the Lionheart and Henry V.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173848/French-demand-Crown-Jewels-Queen-1499-murder-Edward-Plantagenet.html#ixzz20kZPDqBs
French demand Crown Jewels from the Queen to compensate for 1499 murder of Edward Plantagenet
• French city of Angers in Loire Valley provided some of the greatest monarchs in British history
• When Edward Plantagenet was murdered in Tower of London in 1499 house's legitimate male line came to an end
• City believes it is owed an apology – and 513 years' worth of compensation
• Sum would amount to billions in today's currency, but city is prepared to accept the coronation jewels
A French city which produced 14 English kings is demanding the Crown Jewels as compensation from the Queen for the murder of its last pretender to the throne.
Angers, which is in the Loire Valley west of Paris, was once the capital of the Anjou province and the House of Plantagenet.
It ruled England from 1154 until 1485, providing some of the greatest monarchs in British history, including Richard the Lionheart and Henry V.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173848/French-demand-Crown-Jewels-Queen-1499-murder-Edward-Plantagenet.html#ixzz20kZPDqBs
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Too funny on so many levels:
French salesmanship - Accuse your prospective client of murder, demand restitution ..... and then invite them to come on over and spend money.
Equally, 1000 years of blaming the English for invading France and now deciding that the Angevins/Plantagenets were French enough that the English should pay the French restitution for their death.
Robertians, Capetians and Angevins.....Two Fingers.
French salesmanship - Accuse your prospective client of murder, demand restitution ..... and then invite them to come on over and spend money.
Equally, 1000 years of blaming the English for invading France and now deciding that the Angevins/Plantagenets were French enough that the English should pay the French restitution for their death.
Robertians, Capetians and Angevins.....Two Fingers.
daftandbarmy said:
Well let's just remind them what the Brits did for them in WW1 and WW2 and call it even. Or if they really want to press the issue, I'm sure the Brits can calculate the cost (in material, ressources and lives) of both those conflicts in today's money, figure out their share of it and see if they still want to make demands...
Colin Parkinson
Army.ca Myth
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Danjanou said:Gee think they'd let the RCN order a couple of dozen? Be nice to actually have some new Maritime Helios before the turn of the next century :
Just a repackaged Sea Lynx but the look of it, mind you if it works for you, nothing wrong in updating the design a bit and ordering more.
daftandbarmy
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Kirkhill said:
Exactly... and don't get me started on those Cathars and Albigensians!
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