[AppyPappy]

These "backpack" nukes are very heavy and larger than you think. If I remember correctly, they are more like mines. And the mechanisms have to be maintained on a regular schedule.

[arielb]

they could've taken a hi-jacked plane and rammed it into a nuclear plant

[JimRed]

"A suitcase nuke attached to a drum of anthrax or botulism would be a hellish terror weapon,..."

The heat from the detonation would destroy the bio agent.

[Travis McGee]

Any ex-soviet tactical nuclear artillery shell could be converted into a "backpack nuke".

Stripped down to the physics package, they could be as small as 8"D x 30"long and weigh under 50#.

[Saundra Duffy]

Well, I'll tell you one thing. These can be transported from one end of the U.S. to the other by car, Grey Hound Bus or even Amtrak. There's virtually no security, though I know for a fact people wrote to Tom Ridge about Grey Hound and Amtrak's lack of security. For victory & freedom!!!

[backhoe]

To: AmerRepb

The "Davey Crockett" ( W-54 ) Tactical Nuclear Warhead

The W-54 probably represents a near minimum size for a spherical implosion device (the U.S. has conducted tests of a 25.4 cm implosion system however). The W-54 is certainly light enough by itself to be used in a "suit case bomb" but the closest equivalent to such a device that U.S. has ever deployed was a man-carried version called the Mk-54 SADM (Small Atomic Demolition Munition). This used a version of the W-54, but the whole package was much larger and heavier. It was a cylinder 40 cm by 60 cm, and weighed 68 kg (the actual warhead portion weighed only 27 kg). Although the Mk-54 SADM has itself been called a "suitcase bomb" it is more like a "steamer trunk" bomb, especially considering its weight

20 posted on 4/24/02 1:07 AM Eastern by krogers58
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[Bender2]

I tend to discount all these "back pack" nuke stories, 'cause if Osama had them, he's have used them on us bu now...

[backhoe]

Suitcase Nukes Said Unlikely To Exist--U.S. backpack nukes:

http://www.active-duty.com/BackPackNukes.htm

Others include:

Mk-54 SADM- Atomic Demolition Munition (ADM) weight 54 lbs (bomb only) 16 in. X24 in. Yield: Variable, 10 T - 1 Kt.

Artillery Shell 8in.x44 in. wieght:200 lbs. Yield: Variable - 100 T to 1.1 Kt (Mod 0), 0.8 Kt (Mod 1)

It takes serious design work to make them small, but it can be done.

This one weighed at under 100 pounds. Sub-kiloton yield. It's name was the Davy Crockett.

Others include:

Mk-54 SADM- Atomic Demolition Munition (ADM) weight 54 lbs (bomb only) 16 in. X24 in. Yield: Variable, 10 T - 1 Kt.

Artillery Shell 8in.x44 in. wieght:200 lbs. Yield: Variable - 100 T to 1.1 Kt (Mod 0), 0.8 Kt (Mod 1)

It takes serious design work to make them small, but it can be done.

This one weighed at under 100 pounds. Sub-kiloton yield. It's name was the Davy Crockett.