By Allison Barrie
Thursday, March 06, 2008

Once merely the hub of office gossip, the humble water cooler has been weaponized to fight terrorists. Under development by Welsh company BCB International and known in the security circuit as the "wall breaker" or "wall breaching cannon," the water cooler cannon uses a typical water cooler jug as the cannonball, so to speak. The weapon can punch man-sized holes through walls as thick as double-skinned concrete.

Designed for police, military, special forces and fire department personnel, the cannon can break through a solid wall as well as blast through the floor, a high window or a ceiling, according to BCB International. The company's Web site describes itself as a "long established designer & manufacturer of quality survival & protective equipment, based in Cardiff, South Wales."

Using only compressed air, no explosives, the cannon can fire a standard 44.5-pound drinking water container. It can lob heavier containers filled with sand, gravel or concrete powder to increase penetration. Recharged and reloaded in seconds, it fires up to four shots in 60 seconds. For all you frat boys thinking no self-respecting fraternity could live without a keg cannon, I can confirm that, yes, beer, too, is a cannon ball-loading option — but be forewarned that you’ll need at least two pledges to carry the cannon.

The cannon can be wheel-mounted, but at 350 pounds, a solo operator would have a bit of difficulty with a shoot and scoot. For greater operational flexibility and rapidity, or to make that speedy getaway from campus rent-a-cops, it also is vehicle-mountable. You may be wondering why on earth, aside from breaching another fraternity house or launching a hostile takeover of the cube farm on the office floor above you, would you possibly need a water cooler cannon.You may be wondering why on earth, aside from breaching another fraternity house or launching a hostile takeover of the cube farm on the office floor above you, would you possibly need a water cooler cannon.