The reports have come as Air Force General John Hyten, the head of US Strategic Command has indicated that he wants to arm a variety of ships with a new nuclear-tipped cruise missile.
The nuclear armed ships would reportedly include the stealthy Zumwalt-class destroyers, as well as guided missile submarines, or SSGNs, and attack subs.
Critics fear the move would be a dangerous mistake as enemies may mistake a conventional missile barrage for the start of a nuclear exchange.
At a February event in Washington, General Hyten said: “It’s important to know that the NPR, when it talks about the sea-launched cruise missile, does not say ‘submarine-launched cruise missile.
“We want to look at a number of options — everything from surface DDG 1000s [Zumwalt destroyers] to submarines, different types of submarines.
“That’s what the president’s budget has requested of us, to go look at those platforms, and we’re going to walk down that path.”
His words have come after earlier this month a new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) released by the Trump administration called for the development new nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs).
The review also called for modifying some existing Trident D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) with lower yield nuclear warheads.
Arming the Zumwalts with the new nuclear armed cruise missile would represent a logistic extension of the US Navy’s previously announced intention of having those ships focus on stand-off attacks against enemy ships and targets ashore.
The Zumwalt programme suffered a high number of operational concerns and spiralling growing costs.
Rather than receiving 32 ships as original acquisition plans called for, the Navy will receive just three Zumwalt-type ships, unless Congress spends money to revive the programme.
The US Navy’s 2019 budget request states that it decided to “refocus the primary mission of the Zumwalt-class destroyers from land attack to offensive surface strike”.
The 2019 budget requests $89 million for arming the ships with long-range SM-6 missiles, intended for use against air or sea targets that are up to 250 miles away.
The warship was unveiled in October 2016 and is said to undetectable by radar, appearing as a small fishing boat on most screens.
It was named after the legendary Navy officer Zumwalt who served during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.