【原创翻译】Telegraph英国球电：B or C？

The Daily Telegraph has seen a Ministry of Defence document setting out secret contingency planning for future military operations in Afghanistan, the Falklands, Saudi Arabia and Africa.
每日电讯看到了一份国防部文件，其中提到要做好秘密准备应对未来在阿富汗、福克兰群岛、沙特阿拉伯和非洲可能出现的军事行动。
The highly-classified report shows that planners have grave doubts about the capabilities of the jump jets ministers now want to buy for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers which are still under-construction.
这份高级报告表明计划人员对垂直起降飞机的性能非常担忧，而大臣们现在正打算用这样的飞机来武装正在建造中的皇军海军航母。
David Cameron is poised to approve a decision to abandon plans to buy the conventional take-off variant of the US-made Joint Strike Fighter in favour of a jump jet model. The original decision to buy conventional take-off aircraft was at the heart of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Reversing the decision will raise fresh questions about the defence review and the Coalition’s handling of the Armed Forces.
因为情迷于垂直起降的设计，大卫•卡梅伦淡定地打算抛弃原来购买美械JSF之常规起降型号的计划。而购买常规起降飞机的原计划却处于国防与安全战略审查SDSR的核心。改变决定会给国防审查和执政联盟对军队的控制提出新的问题。
The about-turn follows an MoD warning that it cannot afford the growing cost of installing the catapults required to launch the conventional jets from aircraft carriers decks. The Labour government did not request catapults for the ships, but the SDSR ordered the carriers to be redesigned and fitted with the launch gear. The cost of that conversion is spiralling towards £2 billion, forcing ministers into a rethink that is expected to be confirmed within weeks.
此大转变是因了国防部的警告，彼曰其无力支付安装弹射器的新增费用，而没有那东西的航母大家都懂的。工党政府（上届）没有为航母要求弹射器，而SDSR却要求航母重新设计以匹配弹射装置。反过来的费用则扶摇直上20亿镑，迫使大臣们重新思考应该在数周内作出的决定。
The MoD document, marked “Secret – UK eyes only”, makes clear that the jump jets are both more expensive and not as militarily effective as those originally ordered. “The conventional variant is more effective than the jump jet in almost all cases,” the paper states.
标曰“机密，英眼only”的国防部文件清楚表明，垂直机与常规机比起来质次价高。“几乎所有情况下常规机都比垂直机更狠，”白纸黑字。
Because of the shortfall in jump jet capabilities, the MoD will have to spend an extra £2.4 billion buying 136 aircraft compared with 97 of the conventional planes, the paper adds.
纸上还写着，因为垂直机性能的不足，国防部将忍痛花费额外的24亿镑，以136架垂直机顶替原先 97架常规机的计划。
Defence planners overseeing top-secret “scenario planning” for potential future military missions have concluded that in every one of the operations that the Armed Forces is likely to have to undertake in the coming years, the new jet is less useful than the original one.
在未来数年里武装部队可能会参加的各种行动中，新机都不如原机好用。
                          -----------节选自《未来数年潜在之军事任务之剧本大纲》，
                                      编剧，国防计划人员
                                      密级，绝密

The document, an “Operational Analysis Supporting Paper” prepared by the Defence Science and Technical Laboratory, warns that the jump jet has “considerable technical risks”. The “key issue” is that it carries far less fuel than the conventional plane, meaning it can carry fewer weapons and not fly as far. The reduced range means the jump jet can spend less time over its target than the conventional jet. For a target 300 nautical miles away from the aircraft carrier, the jump-jet can spend only 20 minutes over its target before turning back, compared with 80 minutes for the conventional jet.
国防科技实验室有一文件，名曰“行动分析支持报告”，其中警告垂直机有“必须考虑的技术风险”。“关键问题”是它腿短嘴软。航程不足意味着垂直机在目标身上能利用的时间要比常规机少。一个距离航母300海里的目标，垂直机在返航前只有20分钟时间攻击它，而常规机却有80分钟。
The paper also reveals the findings of a sensitive planning exercise for a range of possible future missions.
该文件还透露了为应对一系列未来可能任务而计划进行的一项敏感的演戏。
Scenarios include a “medium-scale enduring stability operation” in Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with allies; British operations in Afghanistan continuing until 2025, with warplanes deployed for a decade after Mr Cameron’s deadline for an end to combat operations; a mission to retake the Falklands after a successful Argentine invasion, which states that “the conventional variant [fighter] provides a more robust capability”.
故事梗概有，同盟友一起在沙特进行“中等规模的长期维稳”；英国配备作战飞机的行动在阿富汗持续到2025年，这比卡梅伦结束战斗的最后时间还要晚十年；在阿根廷成功入侵之后夺回福克兰群岛，其中还提到“常规机提供了更强的战力”
The MoD said no decision had been made on switching to the jump jet, and played down the paper’s findings.
国防部说换装垂直机的决定还没做出，同时淡化了上述文件的内容。
A spokesman said: “As you would expect, the MoD works up a wide range of scenarios, many of which are highly unlikely, to scope contingency work as fully as possible.” He added: “The Government has been clear that UK combat operations in Afghanistan will cease by the end of 2014.”
一位发言人说：“就像你期待的，国防部YY了各种场景，而且各种情趣应有尽有，这样才算有备无患。”他补充：“政府早说2014年底从阿富汗结束行动了呢。”

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链接http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9217918/Fighter-jets-about-turn-will-harm-capability.htmlThe Daily Telegraph has seen a Ministry of Defence document setting out secret contingency planning for future military operations in Afghanistan, the Falklands, Saudi Arabia and Africa.
每日电讯看到了一份国防部文件，其中提到要做好秘密准备应对未来在阿富汗、福克兰群岛、沙特阿拉伯和非洲可能出现的军事行动。
The highly-classified report shows that planners have grave doubts about the capabilities of the jump jets ministers now want to buy for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers which are still under-construction.
这份高级报告表明计划人员对垂直起降飞机的性能非常担忧，而大臣们现在正打算用这样的飞机来武装正在建造中的皇军海军航母。
David Cameron is poised to approve a decision to abandon plans to buy the conventional take-off variant of the US-made Joint Strike Fighter in favour of a jump jet model. The original decision to buy conventional take-off aircraft was at the heart of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Reversing the decision will raise fresh questions about the defence review and the Coalition’s handling of the Armed Forces.
因为情迷于垂直起降的设计，大卫•卡梅伦淡定地打算抛弃原来购买美械JSF之常规起降型号的计划。而购买常规起降飞机的原计划却处于国防与安全战略审查SDSR的核心。改变决定会给国防审查和执政联盟对军队的控制提出新的问题。
The about-turn follows an MoD warning that it cannot afford the growing cost of installing the catapults required to launch the conventional jets from aircraft carriers decks. The Labour government did not request catapults for the ships, but the SDSR ordered the carriers to be redesigned and fitted with the launch gear. The cost of that conversion is spiralling towards £2 billion, forcing ministers into a rethink that is expected to be confirmed within weeks.
此大转变是因了国防部的警告，彼曰其无力支付安装弹射器的新增费用，而没有那东西的航母大家都懂的。工党政府（上届）没有为航母要求弹射器，而SDSR却要求航母重新设计以匹配弹射装置。反过来的费用则扶摇直上20亿镑，迫使大臣们重新思考应该在数周内作出的决定。
The MoD document, marked “Secret – UK eyes only”, makes clear that the jump jets are both more expensive and not as militarily effective as those originally ordered. “The conventional variant is more effective than the jump jet in almost all cases,” the paper states.
标曰“机密，英眼only”的国防部文件清楚表明，垂直机与常规机比起来质次价高。“几乎所有情况下常规机都比垂直机更狠，”白纸黑字。
Because of the shortfall in jump jet capabilities, the MoD will have to spend an extra £2.4 billion buying 136 aircraft compared with 97 of the conventional planes, the paper adds.
纸上还写着，因为垂直机性能的不足，国防部将忍痛花费额外的24亿镑，以136架垂直机顶替原先 97架常规机的计划。
Defence planners overseeing top-secret “scenario planning” for potential future military missions have concluded that in every one of the operations that the Armed Forces is likely to have to undertake in the coming years, the new jet is less useful than the original one.
在未来数年里武装部队可能会参加的各种行动中，新机都不如原机好用。
                          -----------节选自《未来数年潜在之军事任务之剧本大纲》，
                                      编剧，国防计划人员
                                      密级，绝密

The document, an “Operational Analysis Supporting Paper” prepared by the Defence Science and Technical Laboratory, warns that the jump jet has “considerable technical risks”. The “key issue” is that it carries far less fuel than the conventional plane, meaning it can carry fewer weapons and not fly as far. The reduced range means the jump jet can spend less time over its target than the conventional jet. For a target 300 nautical miles away from the aircraft carrier, the jump-jet can spend only 20 minutes over its target before turning back, compared with 80 minutes for the conventional jet.
国防科技实验室有一文件，名曰“行动分析支持报告”，其中警告垂直机有“必须考虑的技术风险”。“关键问题”是它腿短嘴软。航程不足意味着垂直机在目标身上能利用的时间要比常规机少。一个距离航母300海里的目标，垂直机在返航前只有20分钟时间攻击它，而常规机却有80分钟。
The paper also reveals the findings of a sensitive planning exercise for a range of possible future missions.
该文件还透露了为应对一系列未来可能任务而计划进行的一项敏感的演戏。
Scenarios include a “medium-scale enduring stability operation” in Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with allies; British operations in Afghanistan continuing until 2025, with warplanes deployed for a decade after Mr Cameron’s deadline for an end to combat operations; a mission to retake the Falklands after a successful Argentine invasion, which states that “the conventional variant [fighter] provides a more robust capability”.
故事梗概有，同盟友一起在沙特进行“中等规模的长期维稳”；英国配备作战飞机的行动在阿富汗持续到2025年，这比卡梅伦结束战斗的最后时间还要晚十年；在阿根廷成功入侵之后夺回福克兰群岛，其中还提到“常规机提供了更强的战力”
The MoD said no decision had been made on switching to the jump jet, and played down the paper’s findings.
国防部说换装垂直机的决定还没做出，同时淡化了上述文件的内容。
A spokesman said: “As you would expect, the MoD works up a wide range of scenarios, many of which are highly unlikely, to scope contingency work as fully as possible.” He added: “The Government has been clear that UK combat operations in Afghanistan will cease by the end of 2014.”
一位发言人说：“就像你期待的，国防部YY了各种场景，而且各种情趣应有尽有，这样才算有备无患。”他补充：“政府早说2014年底从阿富汗结束行动了呢。”

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链接http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9217918/Fighter-jets-about-turn-will-harm-capability.html