Understanding “The Beast,” The Engineering Marvel Protecting The President
Whenever the President of the United States goes anywhere, it's in the company of a motorcade. Since nobody can ever be sure who will be in the crowd during official events, it's paramount for the president to have the most sophisticated security detail there is.
But while many presidents have relied on the Secret Service to protect them, more recent administrations have seen a James Bond level of security from the very vehicle they're riding in. As we're about to see, there's a good reason it's known as "The Beast."
A history of limousines
According to the Secret Service, the first president to use armored limousines for their state visits was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and he wasn't the one who had the bulletproof glass added. That's because his 1941 limo was seized from Al Capone.
Although it only featured bulletproof glass and didn't have an armored body, other limos made during Roosevelt's time in office had corrected this flaw by 1942. Although there were some outliers in the early days, most presidents used Lincoln models as their limos of choice.
A need for heightened security
Despite how early the idea of an armored presidential vehicle — which is code named "stagecoach" when the president is riding in it — appeared in America, one of the most infamous tragedies in the nation's history led the Secret Service to take its protective capabilities seriously.
As the organization explained, John Kennedy's 1961 Lincoln Continental was fully armored in the year that followed his 1963 assassination, which made its weight go from 7,800 pounds to almost 10,000 pounds.
A change in branding
Although presidential limos were historically made to resemble Lincolns, Fox Business reported that Ronald Reagan's administration saw the Secret Service change over the president's signature limousine to Cadillacs.
At the time, however, this was the only significant change. As The Irish News explained, most presidential limousines were stock models that were later heavily modified to suit the commander-in-chief's needs, and Reagan's Cadillacs were no exception. By the 21st century, however, security features on the president's vehicle became a matter of concern yet again.
A greater tragedy begets a greater change
According to The Irish News, the horrors of 9/11 didn't just bring about a permanent sea change in airport security procedures, but it also prompted the Secret Service to rethink "Cadillac One." Over the past 20 years, this nickname would slowly share the spotlight with another.
Although it wouldn't be called "The Beast" as much as modern variants are, this vehicle was the start of the practice that saw General Motors build vehicles specifically designed for presidential security. Since bulletproofing and bombproofing can typically mess with drivetrains and brakes, this was a necessary adjustment.
It lives up to its name
Although The Beast follows the tradition of other Cadillac One models by resembling a Cadillac sedan, the vehicle's heavy armor necessitated a heavier foundation than the average car typically gets.
Indeed, General Motors built the limousine on a truck chassis. Considering that the armor plating is reportedly so heavy that The Beast weighs as much as 22,000 pounds, a heavier-duty frame was an absolute must. The vehicle can also seat seven people, though the other occupants are generally likely to be Secret Service agents.
It's bulkier than it looks
Although The Beast is noticeably larger than a standard Cadillac CT6, its heft still doesn't quite show how thick the armor covering its exterior truly is. Indeed, it won't be hard to see how its total weight manages to add up to 22,000 pounds.
According to Fox Business, The Beast's doors are reportedly eight inches thick, while the windows are about five inches thick. Aluminum, steel, and the ceramic armor are believed to make up the bulk of the car's building materials.
The Beast cost a pretty penny
Although the South China Morning Post reported that the state-of-the-art fortress on wheels cost about $1.5 million to build, that's not the extent of the money General Motors would ave received from The White House before they built it.
It's unclear how many of The Beast's siblings on the production line have come out, but Fox Business reported that they're part of the same $15.8 million contract that the vehicle came from. All told, the contract should produce about a dozen similar vehicles.
There's only so much we're allowed to know about it
Although there are a ton of security features to discuss during this deep dive into The Beast's capabilities, it's important to note that any list of these features won't be exhaustive. After all, the Secret Service is going to keep many of the vehicle's specifications under lock and key.
That said, enough about The Beast has become public to indicate that it's harder to imagine a safer car to travel in. If you can think of a plan of attack against it, so have the car's developers.
Disabling The Beast seems almost impossible
In addition to the protections against bullets and explosives that are essentially standard for a presidential vehicle nowadays, The Beast's manufacturers accounted for its other potential weak points. The South China Morning Post reported that one of these safety features is a foam-sealed fuel tank to prevent explosions.
The tires are also an important part of the design, as The Deccan Herald reported that they're lined with Kevlar and supported by steel rims. They're puncture and shred resistant, but the car can keep running even if they are somehow damaged.
They thought of everything
Unfortunately, it's not exactly a secret that a dedicated assassin will find any number of creative ways to bring about their hated figure's demise. While it's certainly important to consider bullets and explosives, a truly dedicated protector of the president has to think a little bigger.
Although it's unclear how exactly this works, these considerations are why The Beast locks down so tight that it can even protect its passengers from chemical and biological attacks. And it can wait out exposure risks for a while.
The car is safe in any situation
In addition to whatever countermeasures The Beast has in place to keep noxious chemicals and deadly biological materials out, the vehicle is equipped with a way to wait out the aftermath of those sorts of attacks.
If there are noxious gases or airborne diseases around, The Beast is able to keep them out even in situations where it can't move away from them. That's because Fox Business reported that the vehicle has its own internal oxygen supply systems.
A subtly weird experience
Although other outlets have breathlessly described The Beast's military-grade armor as being almost impregnably thick and its bulletproof windows as being thick as the kind they install on airplanes, one described it best. According to The Irish News, the windows are unique in a different way.
As it turns out, the bulletproof glass is so thick that it blocks out part of the UV spectrum. So if one's surroundings look different from inside in a way passengers can't put their finger on, that's probably the difference they're seeing.
Prepared for any situation they could think of
Unless there's some untold security feature the public isn't aware of (there are likely many, given how proprietary most of The Beast's specs are), the car's weight is hefty enough that it's unlikely to be amphibious.
However, if that is indeed a weak point for the car, it's likely its only one. After all, it also comes with firefighting equipment in case one manages to start on the vehicle despite the anti-fire protections on the fuel tank.
If something does get through, all is not lost
Considering how solid The Beast's bulky, armored design is and how many disasters it was designed to withstand, it's hard to imagine anything getting through it that could actually make the president bleed. However, the Secret Service would be prepared even if something did manage.
That's because The Beast also features an on-board medical suite. According to The Irish Times, that suite includes a chilled compartment that holds blood packages placed to match the president's blood type in case an emergency transfusion is necessary.
Any incident would be well-known soon after it happened
If something terrible were to happen to The Beast while in transit, it would surely make international news. However, before anyone in the media would know about any potential attempts on the president's life, both the vice president and joint chiefs of staff would be prepared.
According to The Deccan Herald, that's because The Beast is also equipped with a satellite phone with direct lines to both the Pentagon and the vice president. If the president can still communicate, they'd be among the first to know what happened.
It provides a great handle on developing situations
If something emergent enough to threaten The Beast occurs, it's sure to make for a chaotic moment. As crowds run and scream, the nature of the hypothetical attack might be such that smoke fills the air, making even broad daylight seem dark.
There's also a chance that circumstances would see that incident occur late at night. In ether case, those inside The Beast could have a fairly good handle on the situation, as CNBC 18 noted the car is also equipped with a night vision system.
It includes features from a Bond movie
One of the signature aspects of James Bond movies are the agent's gadgets, and the series has long seen Bond's car outfitted with even more impressive features than the devices he keeps on him. From the sounds of things, The Beast was practically designed with him in mind.
According to CNBC 18, this is partially because it is equipped with smokescreen and oil slick capabilities to make it more difficult for other vehicles to pursue it. That's far from all, either.
On-board weapons systems
It's worth noting that — at least as far as anyone without security clearance knows — The Beast doesn't go as over the top as some James Bond cars. After all, the headlights probably don't conceal machine guns, nor is the grille likely to flip back to reveal a missile launcher.
However, that doesn't mean The Beast is without built-in weapons systems. According to CNBC 18, the vehicle is also equipped with tear gas grenade launchers to repel violent crowds or pursuers.
An unpleasant surprise for would-be intruders
Although it's hard to imagine many attackers being able to approach The Beast after that tear gas is spread, there is at least one other feature in place beyond that. If someone is tough enough to get through the gas, they'll still face an unpleasant surprise.
Indeed, it will become clear to them as soon as they lay their fingers on the vehicle's car door. That's because CNBC 18 reported that it's possible to electrify the handle in emergency situations. Good luck opening the door with the current on.
The passengers aren't defenseless either
Even with all of these safety measures taken into account, that's still not the extent of the defenses on board The Beast. After all, even the kind of tenacious, intelligent, and lucky person who can withstand the tear gas and bypass the electrical door handle could end up facing deadly force.
According to The Deccan Herald, The Beast also has loaded pump-action shotguns and extra tear gas grenades on board. Reportedly, that's not all it's equipped with.
Heavier-duty defenses
Although it's true that The Beast doesn't have the weapons systems of a tank, that's precisely what an enemy would need to get through the vehicle. After all, it doesn't just have shotguns and tear gas on board for crowd control.
According to The Deccan Herald, The Beast also has rocket-propelled grenades on board. That means that if an attacker has other vehicles supporting them, those vehicles can likely be knocked out just as quickly as they can.
Its one weakness
Although it seems like The Beast is capable of handling anything and has had all of its weaknesses designed away, there is one factor that can make it a sitting duck fairly easily. Its weight isn't just an issue with regards to situations that might see it enter the water.
Indeed, the sheer density of The Beast's armor means it takes a lot of power to get moving. According to The Irish News, that makes the president's protective limo quite a gas guzzler.
An electric option?
According to The Irish News, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki mentioned that the next version of The Beast could potentially be an electric vehicle. Indeed, a demonstration of Ford's F150 Lightning prototype apparently impressed the president enough to make such a concept an objective.
Of course, it's unclear how much progress anyone at GM had made in developing a battery that can power a vehicle as taxing as The Beast for any serious period of time. Like with the current model, there's a chance it'll be ready for the next administration.
A matter worth considering
Although it makes perfect sense to worry about hypothetical problems when designing a car intended to protect the President of the United States, the issue of The Beast's fuel source is a worthwhile consideration for future designs.
After all, The Irish News reported that there have been instances where The Beast has been a sitting duck. They haven't lasted long and otherwise went without incident, but it did have to refuel on the way to COP26 and an earlier version did experience mechanical troubles in Rome back in 2007.
There's a reason it was made this way
Although $1.5 million is certainly a staggering amount of money to pay for one car, it's not hard to see how quickly that cost added up. After all, protecting a person from just about everything that could conceivably happen to them sounds like it would get expensive quickly.
However, it's also hard not to imagine that a significant portion of that cost went into ensuring that The Beast looks like a Cadillac CT6. However, there's a reason that concealing step was so important.
There's never just the one
Even if someone comes through with a strong enough attack to threaten The Beast, it's worth noting that unless they somehow manage to find a way in, the attackers involved won't even be sure they have the right beast.
According to The Deccan Herald, that's because it's not unusual for there to be multiple "beasts" accompanying the president in transit. Since they all have the same license plate, any attackers will have to make a lucky selection even before they try anything.
They don't all need to be beasts
Even if that weren't the case and people weren't going through an Ocean's Eleven-style plan to crack open a car that earns out to be a decoy, the fact that it looks like a Cadillac CT6 makes it easy to mistake for similar nearby vehicles.
Since every other car in the motorcade is also going to be a black vehicle, it makes it hard to point The Beast out among them. It may be bigger than an average Cadillac CT6 but that size difference will be tough to notice from afar.
It's good to remember what we don't know
Considering how many details about The Beast are now public knowledge, it's hard to imagine what else about it the Secret Service could possibly be keeping from us. Aside from detailed schematics, it doesn't seem like there's much they could be leaving out.
After all, if The Beast had James Bond-style on-board rocket launchers or an amphibious mode, those probably would have come up alongside the other features mentioned before. Still, it already sounds like they thought of everything.
Who knows what the next "beast" will be?
Aside from the possibility that the next model of The Beast will be an electric vehicle, it's hard to predict how they could possibly improve on the security features of the state-of-the-art, $1.5 million engineering marvel.
Perhaps the net design will be similar to the dozen super Cadillacs to come from that $15.8 contract, and will only be necessary once the current models start to show their age. After all, even a rolling fortress isn't indestructible forever.
