SAS Train In Olympic Village Mock up

The latest in a series of news reports on security preparations for the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games has claimed that the SAS have been training in a purpose built mock up of the Olympic Village. The Daily Mirror reports that a 'scaled-down' facsimile of the village has been constructed close to the Regiment's base at Credenhill in Herefordshire. The paper also reports that 'Helicopter teams have also carried out night-time test exercises on buildings in East London'.

Counter terrorism units such as the SAS anti-terrorist team will often build mock ups of locations in order to rehearse operations and become familiar with the layouts of the buildings. For example, the Navy SEALs who killed Osama Bin Laden rehearsed extensively in a mock up of his compound in Pakistan.

The SAS anti-terrorist team is known to practise general building assault training in a purpose-built 'kill house'. They also have at least one aircraft fuselage on which to train in operations on hijacked airliners.

Authorities are concerned about a Mumbai-style terror attack against the various Olympic venues, with gunmen simultaneously hitting multiple targets. The resources of UK Special Forces, Police and Intelligence Services will all be committed to countering this threat.

Reports earlier this year had the SAS and CO19 carrying out live fire exercises in the actual Olympic Village. There were also reports of SAS training exercises in various locations in London, including a hostage rescue exercise at Loughborough University.

further reading / more info:

• SAS train at mock-up of 2012 Olympic village
  (the daily mirror)
  
  
• SAS In Olympic Village Counter Terrorism Exercise
  (Elite UK Forces report)
  
  
• SAS To Come Home From Afghanistan To Guard Olympics
  (Elite UK Forces report)