The U.K. Ministry of Defense yesterday confirmed he Starstreak and Rapier air defense missile systems are part of the ground based defense providing security during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Starstreak is produced by Thales Air Defence, formerly known as Shorts Missile System, in Belfast Northern Ireland.
According to MoD, the Starstreak systems will be deployed at six sites around London, and are part of the military support to the police-led Olympics security effort.
“While there is no reported threat to the London Olympics, the public expects that we put in place a range of measures aimed at ensuring the safety and security of this once-in-a-generation event,” Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said. “Ground-based air defence [GBAD] systems will form just one part of a comprehensive, multi-layered air security plan which, I believe, will provide both reassurance and a powerful deterrent.”
Hammond said he was confident MoD would prevail against a legal challenge by activists objecting to the defensive deployments.
Last year, the defense secretary said an air security plan had been drawn up including the potential deployment of Rapier and high velocity missile systems. In May, unarmed equipment was placed at the six sites for nine days, for testing the air security plan.
As a result, based on military advice, the government has agreed to deploy ground-based air defense systems–including Rapier and high velocity missile systems–at the six locations for the duration of the Games.
Rapier was developed by MBDA, formerly Matra BAE Dynamics.
The systems will be in place by mid-July, along with other defense equipment including the Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean (L12), which will be moored in the River Thames, Royal Air Force Typhoon jets, which will be temporarily stationed at RAF Northolt, and Puma helicopters at a Territorial Army center in Ilford.
The air defense systems are comprised of radar and detection equipment and weapons. Similar systems have been deployed at all recent Olympic Games, MoD said in a statement.