Side effects of the NATO summit (3)

Everyone is inside. All 32 heads of state and ministers have arrived at the World Forum. The meeting is about to begin. President Trump, who in the meantime had to stop another war, also arrived at Schiphol yesterday evening with a delay. Many plane spotters are having the day of the year. Never before have they seen so many unusual aircraft types land. I expect many videos on YouTube. What do you know about President Trump's delegation and the equipment used?

A

Air Force One is the call sign used by air traffic control for any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Since 1990, the presidential air fleet has consisted of two modified Boeing 747-200 aircraft (designated by the Air Force as Boeing VC-25), which are named Air Force One only when the President is on board, but are generally referred to as such by the outside world. The VC-25 has a long range and a capacity for more than 70 passengers. Before the current aircraft entered service, two Boeing 707-320B aircraft were used (Air Force: VC-137) since 1962. One of these aircraft is now on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The intention was for the current Boeing 747-200s to be replaced by two Boeing 747-8s in 2024. However, the delivery of the two aircraft has been delayed.

The iconic design with the light blue color on the front was chosen by Jackie Kennedy. The most advanced systems are built in. For example, disrupting enemy radar, firing flares to confuse heat-seeking missiles, and in-flight refueling allowing for endless flight. Approximately 100 people can also travel on board. Think of his staff members and press people. In fact, the flying Oval Office includes a medical room. There are also 85 telephones available and three cooks.

Traveling by limousine or helicopter?

Once landed at Schiphol, the president has two choices: either travel to the final destination by Marine One (helicopter) or by The Beast (the armored limousine). The Secret Service has already scouted the route and made a decision. The equipment is being transported to Schiphol by military aircraft days in advance. Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft that transports the President of the United States. As of 2024, it is most commonly applied to a presidential transport helicopter operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) “Nighthawks”, consisting of the large new VH-92A Patriot and the smaller VH-60N “White Hawk”. The helicopters are equipped with anti-missile weapons and other security and communications equipment. Both helicopters are called “White Tops” due to their livery. Any Marine Corps aircraft that transports the Vice President of the United States without the President has the call sign Marine Two.

The presidential limousine, nicknamed Cadillac One of The Beast, is the official state car of the President of the United States. It is reportedly the most secure limousine in the world. The current version entered service on September 24, 2018. The chassis is from a Chevrolet truck, and the headlights, door handles, and mirrors are from the Cadillac Escalade. The purchase price was 1 to 1,5 million dollars. The weight is 6.800 to 9.100 kg and the limousine is about 5,4 meters long. (Due to copyright and intellectual property rights, a video (instead of a photo) of President Trump's The Beast has been included in the link at the end of the blog.) Most of the car's features are kept secret for security reasons, but the car is said to feature, among other things:

Armor
Bulletproof glass
Night vision equipment
Armament
Run-flat tires
Oxygen supply
Protection against chemical attacks
Blood of the president's blood type in the refrigerator
Direct contact with the Pentagon and the White House

The car is driven by a specially trained chauffeur who can make a 180-degree turn at high speed. The president's closest bodyguard usually sits next to the chauffeur. The limousine's fuel consumption is 29 l/100 km. The American government possesses four limousines of this type. Only the Secret Service and the president know how to open the doors. As soon as the cars are taken out of service, almost all of them are destroyed. The total motor caravan can be about 40 to 50 cars long. Two Beasts are also deployed so that you do not know which car the president is in. At the rear, there is always an ambulance for emergencies.

Consequence for the president and overnight stay

The American president's delegation for this NATO summit numbers over 1000 people. These include Secret Service agents, White House staff, advisors, civil servants, doctors, chefs, and journalists. The delegation is staying at the Huis Ter Duin hotel in Noordwijk. President Obama also stayed there during the nuclear summit in 2014. The hotel has 254 rooms. A well-kept secret was that a few weeks before the summit began, Donald Trump chose to spend the night with the King and Queen in Palace Huis ten BoschThe manager of Hotel Huis Ter Duin reported this to BNR Nieuwsradio.

Netherlands (1981): Huis ten Bosch Palace (design sketch). Source: geheugen.delpher.nl

Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague is the residential palace of King Willem-Alexander and his family. It was built in the mid-seventeenth century as a summer residence commissioned by Prince Frederik Hendrik of Orange and his wife Amalia of Solms, and was converted and expanded into a palace in the first half of the eighteenth century by Prince William IV of Orange-Nassau. The palace, which is the official residence of the King of the Netherlands, is also used for some of the head of state's representative functions. Huis ten Bosch Palace is located in the Haagse Bos (The Hague Forest) and is owned by the State of the Netherlands. It has a floor area of 8785 m² and is situated on grounds of sixteen hectares. The State is responsible for the structural condition, furnishings, and interior design. Huis ten Bosch is included in the Top 100 of the Netherlands Agency for Monument Conservation. The Orange Room is famous for its many monumental paintings.

Suitcase with nuclear weapon codes

You often see a soldier carrying a briefcase containing the secret codes for a nuclear attack when the president travels. This briefcase is also known as The Football mentioned. The soldier who carries it never lets go of it, comparable to a American football-player.

The president always carries a plastic card with him. The codes on this card are known as The Biscuit can only be read when the plastic packaging has been removed. The codes of the The Football en The Biscuit can be used for a nuclear attack. To be continued with real NATO seals.....