As part of the ongoing militarisation of London in preparation for the Olympics, we are probably aware that there will be missiles stationed in various locations around the venues, and that fighter jets will be on standby to intercept unexpected aircraft.

If you are flying a plane towards the exclusion zone, then while having a fighter jet come up alongside you is probably a good hint that something is wrong, just how do they signal that you need to sod-off?

Turns out there is a procedure, and presumably in order of urgency, the fighter jet will:

  • Join on left hand side of the aircraft and rock wings
  • Break left to right in front of the aircraft
  • Break left to right in front of the aircraft – whilst firing flares

There is also a procedure for helicopters sent up to intercept errant aircraft:

  • Military helicopter will join on left hand side of the aircraft and pilot will rock his aircraft
  • Military helicopter will display ‘Follow Me’ sign at the aircraft
  • Military helicopter will alert the aircraft with green laser or fire a flare

The response is the same for all of them – the naughty plane must rock its wings in acknowledgement, then turn away from London.

So there you have it,if you see planes and helicopters flying in formation AND they start waggling their wings, then that’s the moment to pay attention to what is going on in the skies.

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One comment
  1. David Redfern says:
    29 June 2012 at 10:37 am

    Now being that Osama Bin Ladin was probably the wealthiest terrorist in the world, and that the nearest country to us likely to launch an airborne strike against the Olympics (quite apart from the fact any military aircraft would have its origins identified) is thousands of miles away, what terrorist organisation would have the funds to go out and buy a modern jet fighter to attack us with.

    And if the contention is that a civilian aircraft could be hi-jacked and flown over the venue, wouldn’t waggling wings and dropping flares just make the terrorists giggle?. And if missiles were deployed over central London to shoot down said hi-jacked civilian aircraft, wouldn’t the terrorists just pick the nearest populated area and head straight for it, assuming the plane didn’t just drop from the skies onto whatever it happened to be over?

    Could all this terrorist air strike nonsense be just a political red herring to make us all feel secure? As far as the terrorists are concerned its either a red rag to a bull or hysterically funny as they walk around London with rucksacks full of fertiliser and sugar.

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