LONDON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- An operations room in an underground bunker at the Ministry of Defense (MoD)'s Central London headquarters has been readied to handle a no-deal Brexit, reports said Thursday.

The nuclear bunker, said to be deep in the bowels of the MoD offices in Whitehall, will be used as a control center to coordinate efforts if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal.

The Independent newspaper in London said the military mission called Operation Redford was activated at the beginning of this week and that it could see armed forces working to transport food, fuel and other essentials around Britain.

"We are always willing to support wider government planning for any scenario, and we have committed to holding 3,500 troops at readiness to aid contingency plans. We will consider any requests from other government departments if they feel defense capability could contribute to their no-deal planning," said a spokesperson for the MoD.

Defense Minister Mark Lancaster said in January that reservist military officers could be called up for a year of service as part of government plans for a no-deal Brexit.

The bomb-proof bunker has been used by British armed forces in wartime and during responses to national disasters such as flooding.