Typhoons fly into London for Olympic exercise

The four high-speed jets landed just before midday at RAF Northolt in west London ahead of a major military exercise to test security for London 2012, the first time fighter aircraft have been stationed at the base since the Second World War.

The Typhoons will take part in Exercise Olympic Guardian, a nine-day training operation over the capital and the home counties that runs until next Thursday.

Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha, air component commander for Olympics air security, said: “What we will have is a plan that has many levels to it which will allow us to deal at one end – which is that 9/11-type attack – perhaps down to the lower and the slower type of threat that we may face.”

The RAF said people in south-east England may see more air activity, particularly this weekend.