British lawmakers tore into the chief executive of the security contractor that will be unable to deliver enough guards for the Olympic Games , forcing Nick Buckles to agree Tuesday that the fiasco is `` a humiliating shambles . '' Buckles , the chief executive of G4S , said the company should not have agreed to provide 10,400 guards for the Olympics , six days after the security giant admitted it could not do so . `` We regret signing the contract , '' Buckles said under pressure from lawmakers . The company 's failure forced the government to call in 3,500 military personnel to help , and will also require extra police to be deployed . Olympic-level security . G4S has a £284 million ( $ 444 million ) government contract to provide security staff for the Olympic Games , but only 4,000 guards are trained and ready . Buckles said there was a company `` expectation '' that 7,000 will be ready by the time the Games begin on July 27 , although he called the exact number `` a moving target . '' Lawmakers appeared incredulous at the chief executive 's assertion that G4S should still claim a £57 million ( $ 89 million ) management fee as part of the contract . `` Why ? '' demanded Keith Vaz , the chairman of Parliament 's Home Affairs Committee . `` You have n't managed . '' G4S may lose $ 77m over guard shortfall . Hammered by Vaz for saying he was `` disappointed '' about the failure , Buckles first said he was `` deeply disappointed '' and then that he was `` sorry . '' Labour lawmaker David Winnick then laid into Buckles , insisting several times that the snafu was `` a humiliating shambles . '' Buckles finally said he could not disagree . He repeatedly tried to evade a question from lawmaker James Clappison about whether he was confident about the number of guards who would show up on the first day of the Games . Guarding the games . Vaz intervened again , demanding : `` You ca n't give Mr. Clappison the assurance he seeks ? '' `` I can not , '' Buckles said . The company will reimburse police forces that have to provide officers to cover for G4S shortfalls , and will `` consider '' paying bonuses to military and police who are called in to help , he said . Buckles said he was surprised when he got his first indication on July 3 that his company would be unable to fulfill its contract . The information came `` completely out of the blue , '' he said . He knew for certain on July 11 the company could not fulfill its contract , he told the committee , which is looking into security for the Games . The company accepts `` 100 % responsibility '' for its failure , and is `` extremely grateful to the military and police for helping us out , '' Buckles said . Athletes fret on lost bus as Olympic arrivals begins . Closing the session , Vaz said lawmakers considered the company 's performance `` unacceptable , incompetent and amateurish '' and implicitly suggested Buckles should resign after the Games . The G4S recruits are supposed to perform tasks including venue perimeter security , such as manning X-ray machines , searching people , searching vehicles and operating closed-circuit television systems , G4S said Sunday . The Home Office said Monday that the contractor was suffering from a software problem , which meant it could not guarantee who would turn up where and whether guards had the right training . G4S has not responded to CNN questions about the accusation . Share your Olympics sights and sounds . Britain 's Department for Transport said Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was sending a small number of Transportation Security Administration officials to Britain for the Games . The TSA staff `` will be based at designated UK airports to act as an onsite liaison for the TSA , '' the British government department said in a statement . `` The TSA staff will not be conducting security screening operations or security inspections , '' the statement said . The Home Office said Monday that the extra immigration staff it had deployed at borders was properly trained , rejecting media reports to the contrary . Immigration desks have extra staffers , Heathrow said Monday , amid fears of long lines to get into the country . Retired border officials and retired police officers are among those being brought in to supplement immigration staff , the Home Office said . Athlete arrivals are expected to peak July 24 , with more than 1,200 competitors due on that day . See how Heathrow is preparing for the London Olympics . Heathrow airport expected a record number of passengers on Monday as athletes began to flood into the city for the Olympic Games . G4S said Saturday that it stands to lose up to $ 77 million after failing to recruit enough staff .
The U.S. is sending some Homeland Security staff to Britain during the Games . G4S should still claim an $ 89 million management fee , Nick Buckles says . Comment: The government is calling in 3,500 military personnel to cover shortfalls .