CZ Tarantule was supposed to be used in cases where explosives couldn’t be used due to a high risk of collateral damage. The Tarantule uses a modified .50 caliber blank round loaded from the breech of the 18mm caliber smoothbore barrel to propel the 70ml of water which is poured down the muzzle and sealed in the bore via a special plug. The muzzle velocity of the water jet is a whopping 3500 m/s or 11,483 fps.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/04/27/cz-tarantule-prototype-water-cannon/

    • Nakedmole@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      After loading the CZ Taratntule, the operator uses the two wires attached to the gun to fire it with an electrical current from behind a cover, to be protected from any debris that can be blown back as the distance to the target has to be very short – 3 to 5 meters. For aiming the cannon, there are two lasers and also optical sights can be attached. Although the gun weighs 20kg (44 lb) and is mounted on a heavy tripod, the large spring wrapped around the barrel is for recoil mitigation.

  • Jake Farm
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    8 months ago

    Don’t bomb disposal squads have something similar?

    • SSTF@lemmy.worldM
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      8 months ago

      Yes! A percussion actuated neutralizer (PAN) uses 12 gauge shells. Usually blanks, and the barrel is filled with water and plugged with a plastic cap.

      PANs can be either manually placed or mounted on robots.

      • Jake Farm
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        8 months ago

        Hmm, if it is already a thing, why is the Tarantule considered so unusual?

        • SSTF@lemmy.worldM
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          8 months ago

          The Tarantule is quite a massive take on the idea. Which is probably the reason it never took off. The niche a PAN fills is specific and rarely is a concentrated water charge of such a huge size as the Tarantule needed.

          Imagine a 12 gauge shotgun that somebody remade as a .50 cal. That’s basically what’s happening.

          In bomb disposal, big applications tend to be less focused directional things- like popping car trunks, which you can do with a factory made Boot Banger, or Jerry can with C4 duct taped to one side.