# What is the smallest possible nuke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-possible-nuke/476254 "2008-12-08T15:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-possible-nuke/476254/21 "2008-12-09T06:35:39Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > As stated in the title, I’m curious about the smallest possible working nuclear weapon. Probably the artillery round for the 203 mm or 155 mm howitzer Declan ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-possible-nuke/476254/22 "2008-12-09T14:32:57Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > I remember reading that the SADM was intentionally made larger and heavier than necessary so that it would require two people to deploy it. Seems illogical. If it’s just heavy/bulky you don’t need second person to deploy it. You just need handcart. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-possible-nuke/476254/23 "2008-12-09T15:26:27Z")
Spoiler for last night’s Spooks It was a suitcase nuke and the fissionable element was about the size of a tennis ball, including shielding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-smallest-possible-nuke/476254.md?page=1)