Chrysler Air-Raid Siren

The Chrysler Air Raid Siren is the world's loudest siren, developed by Bell Laboratories and the Chrysler Corporation. It was designed to alert the public to a potential mass attack by the Soviet Union. The siren is powered by a 180 hp (130 kW) Chrysler Firepower Hemi V8 engine on a truck sled, producing a sound output of 138 decibels at 100 feet (30 m). It measures 12 feet (3.7 m) long and weighs an estimated 3 short tons (2.7 t).

The sirens were purchased with assistance from the United States government and installed in cities and counties across the country. After the Cold War ended, most of the sirens were dismantled. Many were moved to museums or acquired by private collectors, and a few remain in their original locations as non-operational local landmarks.

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