The high-tech transportation ecosystem that surrounds the President of the United States as he travels around the world includes the aircraft known as Air Force One for protection in the air, as well as a new armored limousine known as “the Beast” for protection on the ground.
Achieving a balance between the unusually elevated level of armor-specific security features and communication features means giving up some elements that most car owners enjoy. For example, most cars can drive over 70mph. The president’s limousine, however, has a top speed of 60mph.
And your car probably neither runs on diesel, nor does it weigh eight tons. The Beast weighs eight tons because its body has military-grade armor plating, which is eight inches thick and made from a combination of aluminum, stainless steel, titanium and ceramic.
Unlike the Beast, your car’s tires also are not Kevlar coated to prevent punctures and other damage. Even if the tires on the president’s vehicle are punctured through the Kevlar coating, the car can still travel on its steel rims to a safe location.
The president’s car is also safe from biological and chemical attack. Its fuel tank has armor plating and a special foam that prevents explosions in case of a high-speed impact. It also comes stocked with pump-action shotguns, firefighting equipment, two pints of blood (matched to the president’s blood type), night-vision cameras, a satellite phone and an oxygen supply that can circulate fresh air in case of airborne biological or chemical attack.
The windows are comprised of five layers—a five-inch thick mixture of glass and polycarbonate that can withstand armor-piercing bullets. None of the windows open except for the driver’s window, which can come down three inches.
Bottom Line
Each armored limousine costs $1.5 million—and there are a dozen of them—costing about $18 million altogether. The president’s motorcade generally includes three Beasts, with two acting as decoys and one carrying the president, his family, Secret Service agents and a few staff members.
An attack from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon could damage the president’s armored limousine.
According to the Electromagnetic Pulse Commission’s Critical National Infrastructures Report, 18 running and non-running trucks (make and model from 1991-2003) were exposed to EMP field levels up to 50kV/m. Though none of the non-running trucks exhibited effects, 13 of the running trucks did exhibit them. Three truck motors stopped altogether, and two of those vehicles restarted immediately. Only one motor out of the 18 trucks stopped completely and failed to restart. It had to be towed to a service station for repair.
Even though exposure to an EMP field is unlikely, a problem could arise if the presidential armored limousine were attacked by an EMP weapon and couldn’t refuel because its electronics systems suffered damage. The car would be limited in range at 9.6mpg.
Though it is unclear whether the president’s fleet of Beasts can repel a massive EMP attack on the ground, protection from EMP attacks is available when he’s in the air, as Air Force One is completely encased in EMP shielding material, as are all electronic devices on board the aircraft.
The fleet of Beasts are not technically as sophisticated as Air Force One, especially when it comes to EMP attacks. But the likelihood of an EMP attack disabling one of the president’s fleet of Beasts is very slim.