VOA标准英语2009年-India Launches Nuclear Powered Submarine f

India has launched its first indigenously¹ built nuclear-powered submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles. The submarine, once in service, will give the country the capability² to fire nuclear weapons from sea besides land and air.

The Indian navy flooded a dry dock in the southern port city of Visakhapatnam to send out the nuclear-powered submarine named Arihant, for extensive sea trials in the Bay of Bengal.
　
Indian PM Manmohan Singh speaks during the launch ceremony of India's first nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant at Vishakhapatnam in India, 26 Jul 2009

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who launched the submarine, called it a "historic milestone³ in the country's defense⁴ preparedness.

It has taken India nearly two decades to develop the Arihant, which means "Destroyer of Enemies." It has been built with technical assistance from Russia.

Defense officials say Arihant is powered by a nuclear reactor⁵, and will be armed with ballistic missiles. It will carry a crew of about 100 men.

New Delhi-based National Maritime⁶ Foundation director Uday Bhaskar says the launch is an important technological⁷ step putting India in a small group of nations capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines.

But he stresses that it could be several years before the submarine is inducted into the Indian navy.

"My sense is that it would take India anything between three and five years if everything moves as per plan and design to have a submarine that would be deemed operationally credible⁸ with nuclear propulsion," said Bhaskar. "What is significant about the launch is that India now has publicly acknowledged its quest to acquire a nuclear submarine and has shown it has the ability to design and build such a platform."

India already has fighter aircraft and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. If all goes well with the trials, the Arihant will give India an underwater ballistic missile capability after the tests are conducted.

After launching the submarine, Prime Minister Singh said "we do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone." But he said that the sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India's security interests, making it necessary to "re-adjust our military preparedness to this changing environment.'

The Arihant puts India in a small group of five nations which have built nuclear submarines. These are the United States, China, Britain, France and Russia.

India plans to build a fleet of five nuclear-powered submarines. Defense experts have estimated that India has between 50 and 100 nuclear warheads.

1 indigenously   

adv.本土

参考例句：

2 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。

3 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

6 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

7 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。

8 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？