RAF to the rescue: British aid sought for Paris Olympics air security
FRANCE-The groundbreaking anti-drone technology that France used to safeguard its skies during the Olympics this summer was meant to be a source of pride for the country. However, there is talk across the Channel that the French have been driven into the most humiliating climbdown and have called in the British following a string of embarrassing testing failures. With the opening ceremony less than three months away, France has had to boost its much-vaunted ‘Parade’ gear with systems that reportedly involve people and technology from the Royal Air Force.
French call for assistance
The French military told the Mail that ‘no help was sought’ from the UK, but the Ministry of Defence has acknowledged that it had sent ‘equipment and troops’. Additionally, President Emmanuel Macron was made fun of by France’s satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine for his government’s “severe humiliation” and for having to “beg” Britain. The French defense procurement agency awarded the Parade system the contract to construct an anti-drone system in 2022 for a total estimated cost of €350 million.
Threats can be detected, jammed, and rendered immobile by it. In a last resort, police drones may be able to fire down drones directly and seize objects with nets. However, this is risky since falling debris might harm or even kill people on the ground. A senior security source told the AFP news agency last month, “It’s annoying that this is coming out publicly but, unfortunately, contrary to the official line, things aren’t really working as we’d like.”
RAF’s role
“Throwing back the six Parade systems it received without paying for them,” is how the French Air Force has put it. Instead of taking place at the Stade de France, the opening ceremony will take place along the Seine, but organizers are concerned that drones and snipers might target the river. “We are working across Whitehall departments to provide UK support to the security operation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024,” a MoD spokeswoman stated. “Our specialized search dog units will aid in venue security, and the RAF will provide personnel and equipment to assist in thwarting any unauthorized drone activity.”
The tournament starts in 100 days on July 26. A large number of policemen from various forces throughout the nation are anticipated to travel to France to assist in ensuring the safety of competitors and spectators. In the run-up to the games, military troops and counterterrorism experts will also be available to assist their French colleagues.
Collaborative efforts
The organizers of the Paris games will benefit from the knowledge of senior police officers engaged in the security operations around London 2012, the Queen’s burial, and the King’s coronation. During the Olympics, more than 35,000 police and gendarmes are anticipated to be called into action every day. An additional 10,000 will likely be called into action for the July 26 opening ceremony. Although the precise number of British police officers who will be on the ground has not yet been announced, it is believed that they will come from several forces around the nation and will include special constables who volunteer and handlers of specialized dogs. “Extremely aggressive” is how the International Olympic Committee describes Russia’s reaction to a ban that prevented its athletes from participating in the Olympic opening ceremony. It further said that Thomas Bach, the head of the ruling body, had been the target of personal jabs. The IOC prohibited athletes from Belarus and Russia from participating in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Preparations and planning
Racism is the main reason due to which many countries are boycotting the Olympics 2024. Recent years have seen a number of terror incidents in Paris, most famously in 2015 when 130 people were slaughtered by Islamist extremists at several sites, including the Bataclan concert hall. In December, a suspected terrorist attacked near the Eiffel Tower with a knife and hammer, killing one German visitor and injuring two others, including a British guy. Intelligence services from all around the world will be coordinating closely in the upcoming months as growing tensions in the Middle East add to the worry that terrorists may attack the showpiece event.
Boycott Pairs Olympics 2024
The current situation of France is not good for fans. Their security measures are unpredictable. According to authorities, under the circumstances of the case, they were not compelled by international doping regulations to suspend the Chinese athletes or notify other competitors about the tests and investigations. The creation of these algorithms and the fine-tuning of these sensors should take some time and effort given the stakes involved, but the most crucial thing is to have a system that armed forces operators have completely embraced in time for the Olympic Games in 2024.
