The United States is considering shifting some nuclear targets from Russia to China, the Washington Postnewspaper reported today.
Other reported changes under consideration include cutting the number of strategic warheads and taking most B-52 and B-2 bombers out of the nuclear force.
The newspaper, quoting administration officials and independent experts, said the proposed changes had grown out of an inter-agency review of nuclear strategy and weaponry ordered by Defense Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld.
It said the Pentagon was ready to cut the number of strategic warheads from about 7,500 to below 2,500 if President George W. Bush changes the formal guidance on what nuclear forces are needed to meet the declining threat from Russia, the smaller but growing challenge from China, and the limited danger posed by nations such as Iraq, North Korea and Iran.
On Friday, a White House official said Mr Bush would begin consulting sceptical U.S. allies next week on his controversial plans for a missile defence system. He plans to give a speech in Washington on Tuesday in which he will link deployment of a defence shield for the United States and its allies with reductions in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Mr Bush was not expected to include specifics in his speech, the Washington Postsaid, but it quoted other officials familiar with the inter-agency review.
During his campaign, President Bush promised to develop and deploy a missile defence to guard against rogue nuclear launches and other attacks, as well as reducing the number of nuclear weapons.
The Air Force may absorb major changes, such as switching most B-2 and B-52 bombers to conventional missions. This was proposed in 1997, when the Clinton administration discussed reducing to 2,500 warheads.
In addition, the Air Force may lower the readiness of its 50 MX Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles, each carrying 10 warheads, according to the report.
They are scheduled to be withdrawn by 2007 under the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START II.
The U.S. Navy also may reduce its fleet of Trident ballistic missile submarines from 18 to as few as 10.