When he made his European tour last week, President Barack Obama not only brought his own chef, gasoline, water, and more than 500 staff – he also came equipped with his own fleet of armored vehicles.
There’s the nuclear-attack proof Air Force One plane and the VH-3D helicopter, Marine One, fitted with flares designed to confuse heat-seeking missiles; then there’s “The Beast”, his car for cruising around town.
Obama’s armor-plated official Cadillac limousine is heavy with protection – including 7.9 inch thick doors as heavy as those on a Boeing 757 jet.
This car is ready for any kind of eventuality – it’s equipped with tear-gas cannons, pump-action shotguns, a sealed “panic room” capable of protecting Obama from chemical attack, and its run-flat tires allow it to keep driving even if they have been punctured. The only window that opens, by 3 inches, is on the driver’s side so he can talk to security. Worst case scenario? There are oxygen tanks and bottles of the president’s blood on standby.