US tests hypersonic aircraft, advancing toward China in weapons race

美国测试高超音速飞行器，在武器竞赛中向中国逼近

(NewsNation) — The Department of Defense announced Monday the United States successfully completed two test flights of a reusable hypersonic aircraft, marking a significant step in the development of weapons capable of flying more than five times the speed of sound.

（新闻国度）——美国国防部周一宣布，美国成功完成了一款可重复使用高超音速飞行器的两次试飞，标志着在开发速度超过五倍音速的武器方面迈出了重要一步。

The advancement helps close the gap in hypersonic technology between the U.S. and rival powers like China and Russia, both of which already have hypersonic weapons at their disposal. Russia has used hypersonic missiles in its war against Ukraine.

这一进展有助于缩小美国与中国、俄罗斯等竞争对手在高超音速技术领域的差距，后两国均已装备高超音速武器。俄罗斯更是在对乌克兰战争中动用了高超音速导弹。

The aircraft can attack from great distances and maneuver in ways that aim to trick adversaries and dodge traditional defenses. They are capable of carrying both conventional explosives and nuclear warheads.

该飞行器可从极远距离发动攻击，并能通过机动变轨迷惑对手、规避传统防御系统，具备搭载常规炸药与核弹头的双重能力。

Ballistic missiles can also travel at these hypersonic speeds; however, they have to follow a flight path. This makes them much easier to intercept before they reach their target. The U.S. also has cruise missiles, which can move around but travel much more slowly.

弹道导弹同样能以高超音速飞行，但其必须遵循固定弹道，这使得它们在抵达目标前更容易被拦截。美国还拥有巡航导弹，这类导弹虽可机动变轨，但飞行速度要慢得多。

Pentagon hired tech startups to help with hypersonic aircraft

五角大楼聘请科技初创企业协助研发高超音速飞行器

Under pressure from Congress to increase progress on hypersonic technology, the Pentagon, whose funding for its development has lagged over the years, enlisted two tech startups — Stratolaunch and Ursa Major.

迫于国会要求加快高超音速技术研发进度的压力，多年来研发资金滞后的美国国防部，与两家科技初创公司——Stratolaunch 和Ursa Major达成了合作。

The recent test flights involved an autonomous drone, the Talon-A, which was carried up from the Mojave Desert by a larger Roc carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean. The flights, conducted in December and March, reached speeds of Mach 5, the hypersonic threshold, according to the Pentagon.

最近的测试飞行涉及一款名为“利爪-A”的自主无人机，该无人机由更大的“罗克”运载飞机从莫哈韦沙漠携带至太平洋上空。据五角大楼透露，这些于 12 月和 3 月进行的飞行测试速度达到了 5 马赫，即高超音速门槛。

According to the Wall Street Journal, hypersonic missiles are crucial, since they can travel anywhere in the world in less than an hour.

据《华尔街日报》报道，高超音速导弹至关重要，因为它们能在不到一小时内抵达全球任何地点。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


The Talon-A’s reusability is critical, allowing faster turnaround between missions and reducing costs.

Talon-A 的可重复使用性至关重要，它能够加快任务间的周转速度并降低成本。

What was the X-15 program?

X-15 项目是什么？

The test marks the country’s first return to reusable hypersonic flight trials since the manned X-15 program ended nearly 60 years ago, highlighting the urgency of advancing America’s hypersonic capabilities.

此次试验标志着该国自近 60 年前载人 X-15 计划结束后首次重返可重复使用高超音速飞行器试验，凸显了美国加速发展高超音速能力的紧迫性。

The North American X-15 hypersonic aircraft was operated by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. In 1967, it reached its highest speed of 4,520 mph. The program allowed 12 pilots to fly on nearly 200 flights. Some pilots were even classified as astronauts by exceeding 50 miles in altitude.

北美 X-15 高超音速飞机由美国国家航空航天局和美国空军共同运营。1967 年，其最高速度达到每小时 4520 英里。该计划共进行了近 200 次飞行任务，12 名飞行员参与其中，部分飞行员因飞行高度超过 50 英里甚至被授予宇航员称号。

According to NASA, the program completed its purpose of “supporting piloted hypersonic flight within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.”

据美国宇航局称，该计划完成了“支持有人驾驶在地球大气层内外高超音速飞行”的目标。

“The history of hypersonics is full of examples of successful programs that we have shut down prematurely, usually because of money,” Mark J. Lewis, president and chief executive officer of Purdue Applied Research Institute, told the Wall Street Journal.

“高超音速技术的历史充满了我们因资金问题而提前终止的成功项目案例，”普渡应用研究所总裁兼首席执行官马克·J·刘易斯向《华尔街日报》表示。

China, Russia have hypersonic aircraft readily available

中国、俄罗斯已具备随时可用的高超音速飞行器

China and Russia have hypersonic aircraft readily available, which could alter the United States’ strategic plans, according to the Journal. These aircraft could be used to go around the early warning systems the U.S. has in place for detecting attacks. They could also be used to hit naval aircraft carriers and key bases.

据《华尔街日报》报道，中国和俄罗斯已拥有随时可投入使用的超音速飞行器，这可能改变美国的战略计划。这些飞行器可绕过美国现有的用于探测攻击的早期预警系统，还能用于打击海军航母及关键基地。

In the South China Sea, even with the most advanced warship, the U.S. could still be defenseless against a hypersonic aircraft, the Journal reported. Hypersonic missiles could double Beijing’s reach, leaving U.S. ships defenseless, and could even strike Guam, where thousands of U.S. troops are stationed.

《华尔街日报》报道称，在南海地区，即便拥有最先进的军舰，美国仍可能对高超音速飞行器束手无策。高超音速导弹或将使北京的打击范围扩大一倍，令美舰毫无招架之力，甚至可打击驻有数千美军的关岛基地。
原创翻译：龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


A former Pentagon senior official told the Journal that since the late 1960s, China has tested hypersonic flight at about ten times the rate of the U.S.

一位前五角大楼高级官员向《华尔街日报》透露，自 20 世纪 60 年代末以来，中国测试高超音速飞行的频率约为美国的十倍。