Games jets could take out rogue planes

MELBOURNE - Jet fighters and Black Hawk helicopters could be authorised to shoot "rogue" aircraft out of the skies of Melbourne during next year's Commonwealth Games.

Victoria police have released details of its security plan 100 days ahead of the March 15 opening ceremony, and it includes stringent flying restrictions throughout the 12-day event.

An exclusion zone will span a 75km radius from the Games' main athletics venue, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, taking in small airports and runways spread across the city's suburbs.

Police Chief Commissioner and head of Games security Christine Nixon said it would counter a "very simple kind of threat" to security - a September 11-style terrorist attack using a hijacked aircraft or small plane.

"All of the major airlines will be very clear that the area around Melbourne itself will be an exclusion zone," Nixon said. "If someone was to stray into the area, they would be given a lot of warning and they would be able to be dealt with."

Nixon said an Australian Defence Force FA-18 jet fighter's response to an infringing plane could include shooting it down and, she also warned, the decision-making process would be swift. "That won't be something that people will have a half-hour discussion about."

Nixon said the heightened air security would be matched on the ground with thousands of police, military and security personnel plus experts from interstate.

All police leave and training commitments have been cancelled, a move that boosts the number of available officers by 25 per cent.

The security plan includes extra vetting of international visitors and permits for residents who live in streets that will be used for security purposes.

- AAP