A catastrophe weapon is a tool for force concentration and deployment that, under certain conditions, could result in a catastrophic event, leading to the destruction of a region or country. It is typically a large-scale piece of weaponry that has the potential to cause mass destruction, far beyond the damage inflicted by conventional weaponry. Catastrophe weapons may be nuclear weapons, biological weapons, chemical weapons, high-yield artillery shells, or some other tool of devastation. They can cause massive environmental damage that affects the surrounding environment and present a grave threat to the public health, as well as disrupt economic and political stability. Catastrophe weapons are an extreme example of the power of weapons, and their use should be avoided at all costs.

See also: nuclear weapon, mutually assured destruction, catastrophic risk, existential risk, existential threat