Welcome to London! Royal Navy's largest warship sails down the Thames as armed forces put on show of strength for Olympics

The British military's largest warship, HMS Ocean, was carefully positioned into its Greenwich dock to prepare for Olympics security

Mayor of London has welcomed the 3,500 extra troops brought in to secure Games saying the public will like that they are there

The extrovert politician added the armed soldiers will add 'tone' to the event

PM David Cameron said G4S should be pursued for money for not delivering on their contract




The largest warship in the British Navy's fleet and thousands of additional soldiers have arrived in London to ensure security is not breached during 2012 Olympics.

Spectators watched on as helicopter carrier HMS Ocean was manoeuvred into its dock at Greenwich, east London, yesterday where it will serve as a mighty military defence and home to service personnel during the Games.

Security of the global sporting event has been at the top of London Major Boris Johnson's agenda this week after contractor G4S admitted it needed additional soldiers to plug a 3,500 staffing shortfall.



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As HMS Ocean turns in the Thames 150 sailors and aircrew recreate the Olympic Rings on the flight deck to mark the start of the ship's Olympic deployment

Britain's helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy's largest in the fleet, sailed into Greenwich, East London, yesterday, as it prepares to anchor on the River Thames for the Olympics security

It was a careful operation to manoeuvre the vast vessel into position on the river, where it will be used during the Olympic Games as a base for helicopters and military personnel

People looked on as the unusually large vessel was guided by tugs down the Thames with the city backdrop behind it

Spectacular site: The enormous helicopter carrier HMS Ocean towers over residential flats in east London, close to the Isle of Dogs

The largest British warship travelled under London's newest transport system yesterday, the east London cable car, as it journeyed up the Thames

Boris has put the ongoing Olympic security shambles down to 'pre-curtain-up jitters' and believes the public will be pleased to see thousands of extra armed soldiers guarding the Games.



The Mayor of London said yesterday the city is the best-prepared host ever and the 3,500 forces staff brought in to plug a gap left by the failure of G4S to find enough staff will ensure London 2012 is safe.



G4S was reportedly paid a staggering £284million to provide up to 17,500 personnel for the 2012 Games, but this week admitted it couldn't do it with only a fortnight to go until the opening ceremony.

David Cameron today said: 'If companies don’t deliver on their contracts then they should be pursued for that money', in an attack on the beleaguered security firm.

Their blunders mean thousands of soldiers – some only just back from gruelling tours on the Afghan front line – have been ordered to cancel home leave or holidays with their friends and families to form a ring of steel at Games venues.

Mr Johnson today added his backing saying the Army would add 'tone' to the Games as they do at the Wimbledon tennis championships where they control crowds.

'I think we are in the stage now of pre-curtain-up jitters and you would expect the media, quite properly, to be focusing on all the areas where people feel there may be imperfections or things we need to nail down and clearly transport and security have always been the big question marks,' Mr Johnson said.

An aerial view of a British military missile battery next to a reservoir on the Lea Valley in east London, part of the defenses for the Games. The line of defence is just yards from family homes

Ring of steel: A British military missile battery on Blackheath common in south London, is surrounded by a metal fence

How's that for a neighbour? British military vehicles patrol a field behind a residential home next to the William Girling reservior in Chingford, east London

A soldier runs across the banks of the William Girling reservior towards the anti-aircraft gun as armed police look on - as training continues just yards from peoples back gardens anti-aircraft missiles point skywards

'But I’m very confident that at this stage London is better prepared for the Olympics than any previous Olympic city has ever been.'

Asked if G4S had his confidence, he said: “I think the Games are going to be very safe, very secure and the arrangements that are going to be made by G4S, by the Armed Services, will deliver very good results.



'We have increased the number of people who will be involved and I think anybody who goes to Wimbledon and sees the role of the Armed Services in venue security, making the thing run well, will like it. It will add an element of tone to our proceedings over the next few weeks.'

Hideout: Soldiers rest under camouflage covers and a sheet of tarpaulin as they guard the tow path of the River Lea near the Olympic stadium and Olympic site in Stratford

A soldier cycles and carries a second bike on the tow path of the River Lea, where his colleagues are temporarily stationed

Troops take a rest on a canal loch. They are are stationed around canals and rivers as part of the defence plan for the Olympics

David Cameron also tried to be positive, saying: 'I think we should be raising our sights, and thinking of the incredible inspiration that these Games are going to bring.

'The facilities are built, the country is ready, we are in really good shape.'

It came as it also emerged hundreds of A-level students have been hired as front-line guards at the Games to fill the security void when the games starts in two weeks.

They are among 3,300 teenagers recruited from colleges around Britain to help form a ring of steel at the venues for £8.50 an hour.

Reinforcements: Police patrol the River Lea near the Olympic stadium in a powerboat. They will be providing extra security and emergency responses if anything happens A military boat sits idle on the river. It is one of a number of water crafts that will be adding to the defence operation. The waterways allow soldiers to travel quickly around the city without getting caught up in traffic Security experts expressed alarm that youngsters aged 18 and 19 had been entrusted with searching spectators and bags. The company was contracted to provide a minimum of 15,400 security staff, with a target of 17,500. This week the Government confirmed the call-up of 3,500 extra troops, G4S claimed it would be able to bring in 13,800. However, with 14 days to go to the Games, question marks remained whether it would meet even that target, as just a small fraction of that total is available for deployment. Security problems: A soldier on duty at the Olympic park in Stratford on Thursday. He'll soon be joined by 3,500 other troops Preparations: Two squaddies wearing their identification badges walk towards an exit from the Olympic Park today

Service: Military personnel walk past the iconic Olympic rings in the park today. Many soldiers had been expecting a summer break but are now having to work to secure the Olympics Thumbs up: London Mayor Boris Johnson greets a security staff member at the Olympic Park and claims the Games will be better because of an increased army presence Pointing the way: A steward directs arriving soldiers to the Olympic Park site using a novelty foam hand Only 4,000 are ‘boots on the ground’, working as ticket checkers and bag searchers at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. Another 9,000 are still in the training and vetting process – raising fears even the more reduced target might not be achievable. The Armed Forces now make up the overwhelming majority of the security staff likely to be deployed during the Games.

The original plan for 7,500 military is bolstered by a special contingent of 5,000, plus the 3,500 announced on Tuesday, making a total of 16,000. In addition, there will be 3,000 unpaid volunteers. Spot the sniper: The soldiers are stationed at the very top of this block of flats in east London where they have installed deadly weapons Logistics: The men look across the London skyline and consider what faces them over the coming weeks Getting to work: Soldiers look out from a top of a housing block in Leystonstone which has been kitted out with the weaponry to defend the Games

Alone: This weapon is one of many across various locations in London that will be fired if needed A legal bid by the residents of the Fred Wigg tower, in Leytonstone, pictured, to stop the installing of surface-to-air missiles was dropped after the High Court rejected the challenge yesterday

The number of staff needed to guard the Olympic venues more than doubled last December after the organising committee Locog wildly underestimated the total required. Originally Locog contracted G4S to provide 2,000 security guards, but in December the firm agreed to increase that number massively.

But locals are expected to be reassured by the presence of very sever anti-terrorist measures around the Olympic site.

Soldiers in residential tower blocks and green open spaces were yesterday pictured installing surface-to-air missiles at six sites across the capital, a show of strength not seen in this country since the Second World War.

Yesterday, the military began installing Rapier and high-velocity missile systems at the six sites in Leytonstone, Bow, Blackheath Common and Oxleas Wood, both in South East London, Enfield and Epping Forest.

Work: Men continue to file in with items to prepare and install the missile launcher

Security: Surface-to-air missiles have been installed at a number of sites across the capital, including this Rapier missile system on Blackheath Common

Show of strength: With two weeks to go before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the deployment of missile systems marks a dramatic development in the security operation. Right, soldiers are pictured preparing the missile site on the top of Lexington Building, Tower Hamlets. It is part of the biggest peacetime security operation the country has ever seen



The most controversial of these is at the residential block Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone, east London.

Swarming like ants across the rooftop, members of the Royal Artillery were pictured setting up the weapons.

Troops carried truckloads of equipment up the 17-storey block ready to assemble it to protect the Olympic Games from terrorist attack.

The Starstreak high-velocity missile systems, whose laser-guided weapons have a range of 3.4 miles, are so powerful they can bring down an aircraft.

Residents this week lost their bid to force a judicial review into the decision to deploy the air defences above their heads.

Armed: Blackheath Common was chosen because of its strategic location to the Olympic site

Target? The Beach Volleyball arena, on Horseguards' Parade is the only central London arena for the Games