Swedish Radar Used to Protect London Skies During Olympics

The Swedish Armed Forces played a key role in the low-level aerial surveillance of the airspace around London during the Olympics, it has been revealed.

According to information released on the country's armed forces website on 18 September, Swedish personnel deployed a single Saab-built Giraffe AMB - designated in Sweden as the Underrättelseenhet (UndE) 23 - radar system to a site east of London and conducted surveillance of the airspace throughout the period of the Olympic Games.

The deployment, previously undisclosed by the UK Ministry of Defence, was apparently requested by the UK as part of a MoU between the two countries.

AVM Stuart Atha, is quoted on the Swedish Armed Forces website as saying: 'The Swedish air defence system has provided the crucial ability to detect small, slow, and low-flying threats.

'Sweden with its UndE 23 system has expertise that we do not have yet, and without them it would have been a hole in the safety net we have built around the Olympics.'

The system was staffed by Swedish officers and personnel for the entire deployment providing coverage during the entire period of the Olympics. According to the Swedish Armed Forces, the system was needed because of its capabilities to detect hang-gliders, ultralights and small unmanned air vehicles.

The feed from the system was delivered to 'Atlas Control' the main C2 unit controlling the restricted airspace over London during the Games.

This is believed to be the first disclosure that foreign military assistance was used to secure the 2012 Olympic Games although Shephard understands that French E-3F Sentry aircraft may also have been used to fill gaps in coverage when British E-3Ds were not available.