Royal Marines in a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RIB), accompanying HMS Ocean (L12) upstream on the River Thames towards Greenwich ahead of a major security exercise in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. Ocean is an amphibious assault ship (or landing platform helicopter), the sole member of her class and the Royal Navy's largest ship. She then berthed at Greenwich in east London, close to the main Olympic venue where it will act as a launch pad for eight army Lynx helicopters from 661 Squadron and a base for Royal Marine snipers, able to shoot at the engines of fast-moving targets. It is the final phase of the exercise named Olympic Guardian, which began earlier this week in Weymouth, England and in the airspace over the capital. During the actual Olympics in July, Ocean will be moored in Greenwich to provide logistics support, accommodation to 9 Assault Squadron Royal Marines and a helicopter landing site. HMS (Her Majestys Ship) Ocean was constructed in the mid 90s at a cost of £234 million, the 203.4m (667 ft) long, 21,500 tonnes. .
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