Army bodyguard unit shows how they would tackle assassins

Army bodyguards have been showing how they would tackle assassins threatening senior British diplomats in a terrifyingly realistic demonstration. 

The full-blooded exercise saw one soldier dress as a suicide bomber in an ankle-length jacket complete with a a fake suicide vest while others hid behind vehicles shooting rounds of ammunition from a machine guns.

The display took place today at the Royal Military Police’s Close Protection Unit at Longmoor Training Camp near Liss, Hampshire.  

The displays, which included a response to an attack on an ambassador’s residence, were given a realistic feel with the use of blank and training rounds.

The unit also showed how it would respond to a would-be assassin by using tactical driving and extracting the VIP from an ambush.

A spokeswoman for the unit said: ‘The duties of the RMP Close Protection unit are akin to that of a bodyguard responsible for the close security and protection of senior military figures, civil servants and diplomats both within the UK and overseas.

‘The purpose of this forum is to enhance the capabilities of Nato Military Police (MP), foster interoperability, and provide subject matter expertise on MP activities for the development of MP standards and capabilities in order to support cooperation in accordance with the alliance’s strategic concept.’

Busting caps: A trained professional shoots a machine gun while crouching behind a Toyota during the demonstration 

Terrifying: A soldier cut a scary figure dressed in ankle-length robes and a balaclava, with a fake suicide vest attached to him 

Defending tactics: As part of the demonstration a soldier in plain clothes tackled a military figure wearing pads in a bid to show the best moves to deflect terrorists 

Sharp shooter: As plumes of deliberate smoke cloud the soldier’s view, the pretend gunman tried to prove the importance of a good aim under difficult 

Aim, fire! A soldier dressed in ordinary garments shoots a target placed in a wooded area as a second soldier wearing ear defenders runs for cover 

The conference was designed to show diplomats how they would be protected in the event of an emergency 

The displays, which included a response to an attack on an ambassador’s residence, were given a realistic feel with the use of blank and training rounds

The unit also showed how it would respond to a would-be assassin by using tactical driving and extracting the VIP from an ambush