Armed, ready and waiting

Action stations: The Metropolitan Police and Royal Marines in offshore landing craft, rigid inflatable boats (RIBs), a Lynx helicopter and other craft speed along the river Thames near Woolwich during a safety and security planning exercise for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Britain's elite military and police teams joined forces in a combined exercise to give a glimpse of the sheer scale of the country's biggest peacetime security operation yesterday.

Operation Woolwich Arsenal Pier saw the Royal Marines and Scotland Yard take command of the River Thames in a determined show of strength as part of a security exercise for the London Olympics.

The British muscle on show was designed to test the water for the joint operation, and to illustrate the country's readiness against terrorism.

Elite force: British security teams take to the River Thames in London as part of a massive security rehearsal to foil terror disaster at the Olympics

Around 100 marines and 50 officers rehearsed a string of high-speed drills amid fears attackers could use the waterways to launch onslaughts on London landmarks.

About 50 marine police officers in rigid inflatables and fast response boats were joined by up to 100 military personnel and a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter for the exercises.

Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, head of the force’s security operation for the Games, said a Mumbai-style terror attack was one of a host of potential threats to the games

Armed and dangerous: A Royal Marine participates in a security exercise along the River Thames in London, England. The exercise including around 44 police officers, 94 military personnel, 15 boats and a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter was conducted by both the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Marines and designed to test their joint capability ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The line of resistance: The Royal Marines and Met Police form a line across the River Thames as part of the security operation. The costs of security for the 2012 London Olympic Games is estimated to reach more than 1 billion euros, it has been reported.

Speaking on the shores of the Thames, he said: 'There is no specific threat from the river but we would be failing in our duty to ignore it at games time.

'What you have seen today is the sort of things we can do.'

Despite a heavy military presence on show today, Mr Allison insisted the sporting event would remain a 'blue games'.

The Thames runs directly past the O2 Arena, which will be known as the North Greenwich Arena for the purpose of the Games, when it will host events including gymnastics. The river will also be used to transport tourists between venues via water buses and a new cable car.

Typhoon jets and HMS Ocean, the largest ship in the Royal Navy’s fleet, will eventually be deployed to protect the London 2012 Games along with up to 13,500 military personnel.

On patrol: The Met police in London take part in the security run-through. It is thought that the cost of the security operation for the event will top a billion euros.

Terror attack: Looking like something from a Hollywood blockbuster, the Royal Marines simulated a dramatic high-speed boarding of a clipper Hydrofoil via two speedboats

'If we need the military support, it is there,' he added.

'All of our planning is designed to mitigate against potential risks during the summer of 2012, and this is an example of where we will be using specialist military capability to support us.

'This exercise is not in response to any specific threat, but is part of our planning to pre-deploy certain specialist assets to bolster our operation.

'This will be a summer like no other in London. The Thames runs through the very heart of our capital and will be a popular place for people who want to be part of the Olympic spirit. 

'his is all part of our planning to ensure this summer’s events take place safely and securely.'

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