Factual error: When Sawyer and Cale take Cadillac One ("The Beast"), they eventually want to shoot a rocket launcher at the fence. Sawyer wants to do this while hanging out of the window. The real Cadillac One is bullet proof and has several layers of glass with the final one softer not only to prevent the bullets entering but the deadlier threat of glass pieces. Only the driver side can open approximately 3 inches.
Factual error: During the morning scene where snipers on top of the White House investigate a window curtain, they use a thermal imaging sight. They then see the heat signature of a couple through the window, but a thermal sight cannot detect a heat signature when it's behind glass. (00:03:45)
Factual error: The attacking helicopters get a "missile lock" warning on two occasions from the Javelins, despite Javelins being infra-red guided, meaning there's no active signal for the helicopters to detect.
Factual error: While the Vice President is on board, the Boeing VC-25 of the president is referred to as Air Force One, even though the president is not on board. It should be referred to as Air Force Two.
Factual error: When passing the White House fence, the M1 Abrams tank is destroyed by RPG's fired by the terrorists. RPG's, while capable to do some damage to a Abrams battle tank, would not destroy it. Only anti-tank missiles would be capable to do that.
Factual error: An ICBM is not an AA missile, yet from NORAD the terrorists aim one to take down Air Force One. An ICBM cannot be told to take down a plane, it doesn't have the guidance or right detonation capabilities.
Factual error: On the laptop the news shows a Lockheed S-3 Viking launching from a carrier. The Viking was retired in 2010. (00:09:25)
Factual error: Even if there was a compromise of the president's launch codes, nuclear missiles still cannot be fired without consent of a cabinet member, the captain and XO of a submarine or the equivalent officers at a land based launch site.
Factual error: Doesn't matter how good the programmer/hacker is you cannot override NORAD and launch its missiles remotely without authorization. Especially not on your own with just the presidential identification.
Factual error: When the presidential Boeing 747 is taking off with vice president, it is said that the plane will get to 30000ft in 45 seconds, which is the sort of climb rate only attainable by fighters, not jumbo jets, even at presidential specifications.
Factual error: Shortly after President Sawyer and John have to climb up the elevator shaft in the White House, there is a shot of several motorcycles riding in the front of a motorcade. The motorcycles are BMW R1200RTs. The Capitol Police, DC Metro Police and the Secret Service use Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Factual error: The submarine that is due to launch nuclear missiles is called the Albuquerque. That submarine is an SSN (attack sub) not an SSBN (missile sub).
Answer: Knowing is not believing. They might know, but they wouldn't necessarily trust the media. After all it could have been a grand conspiracy to cover up the actual truth from the people.
Alan Keddie
I highly doubt world war 3 would start before these countries did their homework though. It wouldn't take long for them to suss out it was actually terrorists who detonated the bombs and not America.
The_Iceman