Donald Trump debuts the US president’s new ‘super-armored’ SUV

The U.S. presidential security showed off its newest defense tool during the World Economic Forum in Davos. The Secret Service debuted a heavily armored version of the Cadillac Escalade in Donald Trump’s motorcade in Switzerland. The vehicle represents a major upgrade to the agency’s fleet, complementing the famous “The Beast” limousines.

Although it maintains the visual identity of the civilian model, the new Escalade is, in practice, a fortress on wheels. Experts point out that the SUV operates on a modified commercial truck chassis to support the weight of the armor, visible on the thick edges of the windows and on the raised roof.

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Electronic warfare technology

The project is the result of strategic meetings between the director of the Secret Service, Sean Curran, and General Motors, aimed at modernizing a fleet whose average useful life is eight years. Unlike previous generations, the new armored vehicle was designed to face modern asymmetric threats.

Among the technical specifications observed, the following stand out:

• Communication and Command: the roof houses a complex array of antennas for direct connection to the “Roadrunner”, the White House’s tactical communications vehicle;
• Active Defense: the model integrates electronic warfare sensors capable of detecting and neutralizing armed commercial drones and remote detonators of improvised explosives.

Presidential logistics

The vehicle’s debut came amid an air mishap: an electrical failure on the iconic Air Force One (the Boeing VC-25A) forced Trump to change aircraft before crossing the Atlantic, using a smaller model (C-32A).

On Swiss soil, however, land logistics worked as planned. The final drive to the conference center included the use of Marine One helicopters, meeting the new fleet of Escalades already positioned for the final transport in maximum safety.