British military testing their missile systems in London

A chilling site for London residents, the British military rolling out Rapier surface-to-air missile systems on a field in London. Via Geekosystem.

Speaking to the Associated Press, retired Dutch Navy captain and director of the Wiser defense consulting firm Jan Wind had this to say about the Rapier system:

“When you launch a Rapier missile and shoot down an aircraft, it’s not like the whole thing vanishes. It’s 100 tons of metal, scraps, and other stuff that is coming down […] If a Rapier is used, the damage could be just about the same as the intentions of the terrorist — only on another spot. The goal of the terrorists will be met in a certain sense[.]“

According to that video, ‘the military insists that the measures are prudent and proportionate to the threat’. Struggling here to see how that is supposed to comfort us.