Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Inc., now a division of Armor Holdings, makes the gold standard for both
these products.
ARMORED VEHICLES
Armor Holdings has extended its acquisition of superior armor products
through the purchase of O'Gara & Hess, the finest maker of armored vehi-
cles in the world. O'Gara & Hess have produced armored limousines used
by the President of the United States since the 1940s. The first such vehicle
was produced for President Harry Truman. Currently, O'Gara & Hess pro-
vides armored vehicles for over 60 heads of state. The company also pro-
vides excellent products for corporate VIPs in need of armored vehicles.
In the United States, the company is headquartered in Ohio. It also main-
tains facilities in France, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, and Switzerland.
If you are considering the purchase of an armored vehicle, you must
do a great deal of research prior to selecting the appropriate product. You
must carefully analyze the location where the vehicle will be used as well as
the nature of the threat. If your concern is to be protected against handgun-
wielding assailants, carjackings, and smash-and-grab robberies, you may
opt for an armored vehicle protected against handgun rounds only. While
vehicles with this level of protection will not defeat rifle fire, they do have
the attractive advantage of looking and handling virtually identically to
their nonarmored counterparts. The added weight in armor and ballistic
glass is between 300 and 500 pounds depending on the size of the base
vehicle. O'Gara Handgun Protection vehicles are built in Fairfield, Ohio,
and are certified to defeat most commonly available handgun rounds,
including the .38 super, 9 mm automatic, UZI submachine gun, .357 Mag-
num, and .44 Magnum. Optional security modifications include electric
dead-bolt locks, locking fuel caps, satellite telephone, dual battery system,
global positioning satellite (GPS) tracking system, and an inside trunk
release. Options in the more heavily armored models include everything
from underbody grenade protection and fully armored roofs to armored
gas tanks and batteries. O'Gara & Hess can armor a wide range of vehi-
cles. Exhibit 9.8 shows an example of a vehicle fitted with ballistic armor.
What level of protection is appropriate for your circumstances? The
first step in making the best choice about the level of protection you need
in your vehicle is to get a professional risk assessment of the likely threats
that may be encountered. Failing to procure such an assessment may have
tragic results. As we've discussed, even the government — though you would
