VIP Protection: Motorcade Counter-Ambush
This short article is taken from our new Escort Detail Mobile VIP Protection book. It provides a brief discussion introduction to motorcade counter-ambush tactics. We welcome your reactions, comments and ideas on our Facebook page and if you like the article, click below to check out the book on Amazon.
Motorcade Counter-Ambush Tactics
Should the limo/motorcade come under attack, the detail generally has four options to be executed in the following order of priority: drive through, push out, crossload or evac/bailout. This article provides a general discussion of each of these four options along with some of their advantages and disadvantages. The full book goes into great detail on how to execute each procedure from different directions of attack and with different size details. We will cover additional tactics and topics relating to VIP protection in further articles in the coming days/weeks.
Option 1: Drive Through
Generally, the best option is to drive through the ambush zone as quickly as possible. Since the adversary has prepared to intercept the motorcade in a specific location, by continuing to drive away from the kill zone or “off the X” you can create distance and it will be difficult for the adversaries to follow you or continue their attack. The procedure for driving through the ambush is relatively simple compared to other attack response drills. However, the drivers and the rest of the detail must not get complacent since in a high-stress situation, moving at high speed, it is easy to swerve off the road or get into an accident that could injure or kill the VIP.
Good communication between vehicles is critical to execute the drive through or push out effectively. First, as soon as any member of the detail detects hostile fire he/she should call out a warning over the radio, saying “attack right” or “attack left” at least three times to ensure clarity. Identifying the direction of the attack is critical. Sometimes the easiest way to identify the direction of an attack is to identify which side of the vehicle is being struck by bullets. Once identifying the direction of the attack, the Officer in Charge (OIC) or Shift Leader (SL) will make a decision to “drive through.”
Option 2: Push Out
If the Limo becomes disabled, it will not be able to drive out of the ambush zone so the detail will need to employ another technique to get the VIP to safety. If the motorcade has a second vehicle that is still operational, the next option is for the rear vehicle (Shadow Car or Follow Car) to push the Limo out of the ambush zone. It is likely that the rear vehicle will not be able to push the Limo for an extended distance. The objective is only to push the Limo forward far enough to get it out of the ambush zone.
When the Limo or Follow Car goes down, this too must be communicated over the radio immediately with a call of “Limo Down,” or “Follow Down.” This will trigger another decision. If the detail decides to push out, the OIC or SL will call out “push out” at least three times. Some details might use codewords or brevity codes and it is also a good idea to have alternate methods of communication and visual signals.
Option 3: Crossload
In some cases it might not be possible to drive through or push out. For example, if the Limo becomes disabled and cannot move the OIC or SL will have to make a decision to either crossload or evac/bailout. Ideally, the Limo still had some momentum when it became disabled and was able to continue rolling forward away from the center of the ambush zone. Additionally, the motorcade may have already conducted a push-out and gotten the limo as far out of the ambush zone as possible. However, in some cases, the Limo may have crashed and come to a complete stop abruptly. In either case, if the Limo can no longer move but the follow/shadow car is operational, the next best option is to conduct an immediate crossload.
After receiving the “Limo down” call, the OIC or SL will call out either “crossload right” or “crossload left” at least three times for clarity. The direction of the crossload is telling the rear vehicle which side of the limo to pull up on. The motorcade should always attempt to crossload in the direction opposite the attack. In the case of an attack from the front or rear, the procedures remain the same but the drivers will attempt to angle the vehicles to provide additional protection and choose to exit from the side of the vehicle that is least exposed to hostile fire. Conducting the crossload requires the VIP and detail members to exit their vehicles. This is extremely dangerous when under fire but may be the only option. Therefore, it is critical for everyone to stay low, minimize exposure, take maximum advantage of available cover and concealment, and move fast to get out of the ambush zone as quickly as possible.
Option 4: Evac/Bailout
Finally, there are some situations where the only option is to conduct an evac or bailout from the vehicle. This is the most dangerous option and is therefore generally the last resort. If all vehicles in the motorcade become immobile, the detail will have to evac. Alternately, maybe the vehicles are functional but the terrain or bumper-to-bumper traffic makes moving forward impossible. Regardless of the specific situation, if you decide to evac it is most likely because you have no other option.
After receiving the “Limo down” call and/or “Follow down” call, the OIC or SL will call out “evac right” or “evac left” at least three times for clarity. The motorcade should always attempt to evac in the direction opposite the attack. In the case of an attack from the front or rear, the procedures remain the same but the drivers will attempt to angle the vehicles to provide additional protection and choose to exit from the side of the vehicle that is least exposed to hostile fire.
When exiting vehicles under fire, it is critical for everyone to stay low, minimize exposure, take maximum advantage of available cover and concealment, and move quickly to get out of the ambush zone as quickly as possible. Ideally, detail members should have already identified a safe zone nearby, prior to exiting the vehicles. However, if this is not possible, they should choose a safe zone or covered position immediately after exiting. In some cases, some detail members might stop momentarily to return hostile fire and provide cover for the VIP, but they should rejoin the detail as soon as possible.
We hope you found the short article useful and once again we welcome your reactions, comments or suggestions on our Facebook page where we frequently hold constructive discussions on tactics with people from various tactical backgrounds and experience levels. Also, click above if you would like to check out the full book on Amazon.
