USSS Electronic Countermeasures Suburban
Encyclopedia
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
Electronic Counter Measures
Electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
Chevrolet Suburban, an element of a United States presidential motorcade .
This vehicle usually trails the presidential limo and is used to counter guided attacks, such as IED
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s, Rocket Propelled Grenades, and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. Its most identifying mark are two collinear antennas mounted on the roof that are solely used in barrage jamming
Barrage jamming
Barrage jamming: jamming accomplished by transmitting a band of frequencies that is large with respect to the bandwidth of a single emitter. Barrage jamming may be accomplished by presetting multiple jammers on adjacent frequencies, by using a single wideband transmitter, or by using a transmitter...
applications, the primary method used to counter IED threats. The antennae configuration can be changed according to threat level, for instance, taller antennas are used to increase the jamming protection distance, or change jamming frequency ranges. The vehicles were modified by Advanced Counter Measure Systems, Inc, a division of Sierra Nevada Corporation
Sierra Nevada Corporation
Sierra Nevada Corporation is an electronic systems provider and systems integrator specializing in microsatellites, energy, telemedicine, nanotechnology, and commercial orbital transportation services. The company contracts with the US military, NASA and private spaceflight companies. The company...
.
The secondary distinguishing mark are two dome-shaped EW Sensors. The EW sensors are most likely Millimeter-Wave radars used to detect the launch of an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenades) or laser range finder illumination and launch of an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).
Upon detection of a launch, or a laser range finder illumination, the system mostly likely triggers a salvo of Infrared Smoke grenades launched from this vehicle and the presidential limo to provide both a visual smoke screen in the kill zone and to also act as an obscurant for IR and radar guided attacks. This can be assumed, since it's known that the presidential limo is equipped with a Driver's Vision Enhancer
Driver's Vision Enhancer
The Driver's Vision Enhancer is a passive Thermal Imaging System used to enhance a driver's viewing capabilities while operating during degraded visual conditions, such as darkness, fog, smoke or dust....
system which gives the driver the ability to drive in an infrared smoke environment. The visual obscurants would give the secure package the ability to leave the kill zone, leaving the CAT (Counter-Assault Team) to deal with the threat.