Troops May Protect Power Plants

[RFUK]

Just came across this on The Oracle:

Ministers are considering using soldiers to guard power plants against terrorist attack, it has emerged.

The News of the World has named the gas pipeline facility at Bacton in Norfolk, oil and gas terminals in Humberside and Grampian, Scotland, and oil refineries at Coryton, Essex, and Fawley, near Southampton, as locations where troops will be deployed to beef up security.

I bet whoever's lucky enough to get spammed will love this! Surely it's a police responsibility being within the UK?

(edited to repair link)

 

[Chalky]

I bet whoever's lucky enough to get spammed will love this! Surely it's a police responsibility being within the UK?

It would come under MACP, as the 'defence' of Heathrow airport sort of did.

If it was a major issue the TA might be tasked in support of it, simply because of the numbers required, which would probably involve sitting in a ditch a mile away drinking tea until the 'crisis' is over and leaving all the close up stuff to the Plod.

 

[Pling]

Dont know about the rest of the country but the local news here in Norfolk are reporting that MOD Plod are being deployed to protect the Bacton Gas Terminal and apprantly the Gas companies are going to be picking up the tab.

I was getting rather worried about STABs running around thinking their the SAS.

 

[Chalky]

I was getting rather worried about STABs running around thinking their the SAS.

I'm sure we'll be able to resist the temptation.

 

[TPR_C_Hunt]

They have CCRF, so they know how to stag on a cordon

 

[RFUK]

Dont know about the rest of the country but the local news here in Norfolk are reporting that MOD Plod are being deployed to protect the Bacton Gas Terminal and apprantly the Gas companies are going to be picking up the tab.

I was getting rather worried about STABs running around thinking their the SAS.

Yes, because the SAS stag on gas terminals all the time. Why would it worry you? Do tell.

 

[semper]

If they pay me enough overtime, I would quite happily take a pack of thermos of Coffee, some Sandwiches, a good book suitably warry perhaps one by a ex 49 Para serviceman and sit down doing fuckall !

easy money

 

[gennithmedic]

Genuine Question

With tha army as overstretched as it is, just what are those 20,000 odd blokes doing in the BAOR?
What could they achieve that pointing nukes at Dresden wouldn't? It must be an expensive place to train in.

Am I just being fick, and missing a really obvious GOOD reason for all that manpower out in Germany.

 

[Modfather]

I think they have already started guarding Gas lines. In my local town I spotted four blokes stood round a hole in the ground looking down at a gas pipe - none of them looked to be busy working so I suspect they were highly trained killers protecting the national assets! I established an OP in the local coffee shop and confimed that all four appears to know sod all about the gas pipe.

(The fact they had British Gas on their HV vests was a simple decoy because all four of the were wearing DMP trousers and boots).

 

[Darthspud]

thought that was war role for certain units, wouldn't take much for the govt. to change terms of reference so troops could be used in 'terrorist emergencies'
I'm sure RAF Regt (uk units) were tasked with this type of role in early-mid 80's, Defence of pipelines/pumping stations and bulk storage facilities might be within their capabilities

 

[Percy_Pigeon]

What goes around comes around site guard

Bring back the old days

 

[brettarider]

Genuine Question

With tha army as overstretched as it is, just what are those 20,000 odd blokes doing in the BAOR?
What could they achieve that pointing nukes at Dresden wouldn't? It must be an expensive place to train in.

Am I just being fick, and missing a really obvious GOOD reason for all that manpower out in Germany.

Were would you put th 20,000 plus families etc all? the MoD is selling off land. No money to repair the current accom blocks never mind build a new camp and houses were would the kids go to school you would need new ones building along with doctors etc as the local infrastructure couldn't cope over crowded class rooms etc. Training area's suddenly booked solid and units unable to get on them etc.

Do you think that Broon hasn't already looked at this in the past 10 years? I remember making this as a passing comment in the cook house back in 1998 nearly got laughed out for being stupid even thought it was a tongue in cheek comment.

As for the the rest of the thread sounds like HSF again

 

[semper]

I know I was being flippant, earlier on.

This is a serious reply :
Where will the men come from ? the TA might have done it as many of them live right the doorstep of some of these places, however many have already been deployed and is back home probably in no mood to do extra work at home unless it instead of going to Iraq and Afghanistan.
That will leave the Regs, one problem if they are asked to do more for less as is the TA as well, then some will probably vote with thier feets, I admire many squaddies ability to put up with a lot of crap, I am sure some already have limits and is past them, Broon will have to start putting money where his mouth is,
we are already talking about him as if he is already a PM and Bliar is an irrelevent lame duck.

on another note:
The ACF adults may live in these localities, they are however not trained for these roles.

 

[brettarider]

Want that the whole point of the HSF ex forces/TA & cadet AI's? could apply up to the age of 55 for this purpose

 

[Sneezeclown]

I was getting rather worried about STABs running around thinking their the SAS.

So that wouldn't be 21 or 23 then?

 

[Sammy The Cat]

Genuine Question

With tha army as overstretched as it is, just what are those 20,000 odd blokes doing in the BAOR?
What could they achieve that pointing nukes at Dresden wouldn't? It must be an expensive place to train in.

Am I just being fick, and missing a really obvious GOOD reason for all that manpower out in Germany.

What?

They are doing training, routine work, roulement tours, indvidual reiforcements and leave - the same as the rest of the army.

Nukes at Dresden? What's all that about?

 

[MikeMcc]

Thinking back to Brave Defender it scares the sh1t out of me. We got tasked as a mobile to go to a building 'defended' by the HSF. We got there, jumped out of the rover and the tw@ts immediately let rip with a few hundred rounds! I know they were probably hyped up because it was an exercise and you know you're going to get tested on it but it was bl00dy ridiculous.

 

[Yokel]

Odd that the Government seem to consider it wise to plan to use troops to defend energy infrastructure in the UK, but seem to ignore the possible need to protect shipping elsewhere. Things will happen in the Gulf in the next couple of years. The nuclear stand off my lead to an Israeli or US strike, Tehran may decide to hit back at the international community for imposing sanctions, or (as seems likely) Iran and Saudi Arabia will come to blows.

Shipping in the Gulf will need to be defended - which might be tricky with a Fleet considerably smaller than we need. Admiral West said we need "about thirty" frigates and destroyers. Have we got about thirty? No!

What if Tehran decides that seaborne resupply to forces in Iraq will cease? Having to defend convoys for a thousand miles, looking out for submarines, mines, shore based missiles, missile armed attack craft, aircraft (some with anti ship missiles).....

 

[Voyager]

Am I just being fick, and missing a really obvious GOOD reason for all that manpower out in Germany.

Germany probably has barracks for them - in England Portakabins are expensive to lease

 

[crabtastic]

Were would you put th 20,000 plus families etc all? the MoD is selling off land. No money to repair the current accom blocks never mind build a new camp and houses were would the kids go to school you would need new ones building along with doctors etc as the local infrastructure couldn't cope over crowded class rooms etc.

You could bus them over to a truck park at Zeebrugge, give them a Stanley knife each, tell them to hop on a trailer and then tell them when they get to the other side to start speaking with Albanian accents.