2021年经济学人 从科幻走向现实的"空中航母"呼之欲出(4)

The Gremlin-mothership arrangement is distinguished¹ by its scale. But several smaller versions of the underlying² idea are also in development. One is being put together by General Atomics, the maker³ of Predator⁴ drones. Predators⁵ are showing their age, but General Atomics hopes to breathe new life into them by producing a version that is a mothership for smaller drones called Sparrowhawks that will carry intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment, electronic-jamming apparatus⁷ and possibly explosives. Flight tests began in September 2020, though Sparrowhawks have yet to be air-launched and the firm has not explained how they will be recovered in-flight.

小精灵加母舰这一设计的突出特点就是规模大。但是几种规模没那么大而基本理念相同的方案也在研发中。其中一种正在由“捕食者”无人机的制造商通用原子能整合。捕食者已经显现老态，但通用原子能希望它们能重焕新生。它生产了一款新机型用作更小型无人机的母舰。这些小型无人机名为“雀鹰”，它们将携带情报搜集、监视和侦察等设备，以及电子干扰装置，或许还有炸弹。飞行测试从2020年9月开始，不过雀鹰还没有空基发射过，通用原子能也没有解释将如何在空中回收它们。

Sparrowhawk's ma'am

雀鹰的母舰

The American army, for its part, plans to use helicopters fitted with drone-launching pneumatic tubes as motherships. These drones, which, like Gremlins, unfold their wings after launch, have a wingspan of 2.5 metres. In a test conducted last summer six such drones launched in flight were recovered in the air, albeit⁸ not by the Black Hawk⁶ from which they had emanated⁹. Rather, they were snared¹⁰ by a quadcopter drone dangling¹¹ a cord that snagged hooks on the target drones' wings. In May the army plans to use rail catapults to launch bigger drones from helicopters.

而在美国陆军这一边，它计划使用配备了无人机发射气动管的直升机作为母舰。这些无人机和小精灵一样，发射后会展开机翼，翼展有2.5米。在去年夏天的一次测试中，六架这样从空中发射的无人机完成了空中回收，不过并不是由发射它们的黑鹰直升机回收的。捕获它们的是一架四轴无人机，它用投放下来的绳索勾住目标无人机机翼上的挂钩。美国陆军计划在5月使用轨道弹射器从直升机上发射更大的无人机。

As with Gremlins and Sparrowhawks, the army's push for what it calls "air-launched effects" is driven by America's shift from counterinsurgency to potential war with a foreign power. Advances in the ability of Chinese and Russian radars¹² to pinpoint¹³ troops and aircraft supporting them is a particular concern, says Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Freude, who is overseeing the technology's development at the Army Futures¹⁴ Command, in Alabama. This will push army helicopters back from the front line, he says, so they will disgorge numerous drones that will zip ahead instead. They are to hunt for targets, distract the enemy, and serve as an extra communications network. The capability¹⁵ should be operational in less than three years.

和小精灵及雀鹰一样，美国陆军之所以要推动它所说的“空中发射效应技术，是因为美国已从平息叛乱转向了应对与外国的潜在战争。位于阿拉巴马州的陆军未来司令部（ArmyFuturesCommand）负责监督这项技术开发的安东尼·弗罗伊德（AnthonyFreude）表示，中国和俄罗斯的雷达在精确定位部队以及支援它们的飞机方面的能力提升之大尤其令人担忧。他说，这迫使军队直升机从前线退后，转而投放一大群无人机来冲锋陷阵。无人机的任务是搜寻目标，分散敌军注意力，并充当额外的通讯网络。这种作战能力应该能在三年内投入使用。

Aerial aircraft-carriers of these sorts do have drawbacks. Snatching drones from midair eats up precious time. That and the manoeuvring required could make it easier for an enemy to shoot down a mothership. But drones that can be reused 20 times offer advantages, not least of cost, over expendable single-shot alternatives.

这类空中航母确实有其缺点。从空中捕获无人机会耗费宝贵的时间。这一点加上所需的操作可能会让母舰更容易被敌人击落。但是，可以重复使用20次的无人机还是比一次性的消耗型无人机更有优势，尤其是在成本方面。

Castle builders solved the problems brought by cannons¹⁶ by redesigning fortresses¹⁷ to be low, thick-walled and protected by bastions. That worked well. Whether launching aircraft-carriers into the sky will be an equally successful response to technological¹⁸ advance remains¹⁹ to be seen.

为解决大炮带来的麻烦，城堡的建造者们更新了设计，降低了它们的高度，增加了墙体厚度并且修建了防御的棱堡。这卓有成效。把航母发射到空中是否能同样成功地反制技术进步，还有待观察。

1 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

2 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

5 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

7 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

8 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

9 emanated   

v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示

参考例句：

• Do you know where these rumours emanated from? 你知道谣言出自何处吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rumor emanated from Chicago. 谣言来自芝加哥。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 snared   

v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He snared a job with IBM. 他以巧妙的手段在 IBM 公司谋得一职。 来自辞典例句
• The hunter snared a skunk. 猎人捕得一只臭鼬。 来自辞典例句

11 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

12 radars   

n.雷达( radar的名词复数 )；雷达装置

参考例句：

• Servos for large radars and launchers are either electro-hydraulic or all-electric. 大型雷达和发射装置的伺服系统，不是电动-液压式的，就是全电动式的。 来自辞典例句
• Range-velocity simultaneous pull-off is one of effective measures for countering PD radars. 距离-速度同步拖引干扰是对抗PD雷达的有效方法。 来自互联网

13 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

14 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

15 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

16 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 fortresses   

堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They will establish impregnable fortresses. 他们将建造坚不可摧的城堡。
• Indra smashed through Vritra ninety-nine fortresses, and then came upon the dragon. 因陀罗摧毁了维他的九十九座城堡，然后与维他交手。 来自神话部分

18 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

19 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。