LONDON, UK (CBS) -- With the Olympics fast approaching, Britain took an unusual step in an effort to keep London safe. The Royal Navy's largest ship sailed into town to take part in security exercises. The show of military might is rubbing some the wrong way.
The massive warship just fit through the gates of the Thames River where it docked near the Olympic Stadium.
Londoners watched and took photos of Her Majesty's ship "Ocean" as the military began exercises that will test their readiness in the face of a terror attack. General Nick Parker with the Royal Military says, "So we need to do this exercise well in advance of the Olympics, so that we test all our systems and then we can fade into the back ground ready to react in the unlikely event of the situation occurring when we have to."
Five-hundred troops will be stationed on the helicopter carrier that just arrived from its last deployment in Libya.
The HMS Ocean will be docked here in London and serve as the military's hub for air and water operations during the Olympics.
The military is also deploying fighter jets and placing ground to air missiles on apartment rooftops. Many London residents are outraged. Chris Henniker says, "It's pure over kill really security is done by the police! I mean look at that ship!"
But others say safety should be the top priority. Catherine Copleston says, "I agree with everything they're doing I don't thinK they can do much more. I feel quite safe and that's what I wanna be in London, quite safe."
So far, the missile systems on the ground are not armed with live weapons and it's possible they may stay that way.
Military officials say they'll make their final decisions by the end of the month when their military exercises are over.
Britain is also taking steps to protect the Olympic Games from cyber attacks. Chinese officials say there was a dramatic upsurge in online attacks during the 2008 summer games.