為什麼B-2匿蹤轟炸機的造價高達20億美元？：英語精讀講義

With the current US president announcing plans to increase the US defense budget this year in order to rebuild the depleted military of the United States, 文法

隨著現任美國總統宣布今年增加美國國防預算的計畫，以重建美國日漸空虛的軍隊，

we may need to take stock of what expenditure has already been spent by the good old US of A. 慣用語

我們可能需要盤點一下「美利堅合眾國」已經支出了多少開銷。

The current increase of billions of dollars will take the US even further ahead of the rest of the world in terms of outright military spending. 片語搭配

目前數十億美元的增加，將使美國在絕對軍事支出方面進一步將世界其他國家拋在腦後。

And yes, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute,

是的，根據斯德哥爾摩國際和平研究所的資料，

in 2015 US spending outstripped that of China, 文法

2015年美國的支出超過了中國、

Russia, the UK, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and India combined.

俄羅斯、英國、法國、日本、沙烏地阿拉伯和印度的總和。

While none of us can claim that US defense spending has been anything less than excessive,

雖然我們沒人能說美國的國防支出不是過度龐大的，

it has been perhaps an important part of overall world peacekeeping.

但這或許也是整體世界維和行動的重要組成部分。

So just what has been the biggest single expenditure on US military hardware? 表達脈絡

那麼，美國軍事硬體上最大的一筆單項支出究竟是什麼？

What has been the most dramatic dollar per man expenditure?

什麼項目的人均花費最為驚人？

Well, with each American tax-paying citizen contributing over $30 on the production of it, 文法

好吧，既然每個美國納稅公民都為其生產貢獻了30多美元，

we attempt to answer that question today on this episode of the Infographics Show,

我們今天試圖在這一期《Infographics Show》中回答這個問題，

why does the B-2 bomber cost $2 billion?

為什麼B-2轟炸機造價高達20億美元？

The B-2 Spirit, also known as the stealth bomber, 片語搭配

B-2「幽靈」，也被稱為隱形轟炸機，

is an American heavy penetration strategic bomber featuring low observable stealth technology designed for penetrating dense anti-aircraft defenses.

是美國一款具備低可偵測隱形技術的重型突防戰略轟炸機，專為穿透密集的防空網路而設計。

This flying wing houses a crew of two and can deploy both conventional and thermonuclear weapons.

這架飛翼式戰機配有兩名機組人員，能夠部署常規武器和熱核武器。

Development for this ATB, 文化背景

這款ATB，

or Advanced Technology Bomber,

即「先進技術轟炸機」的研發工作，

began during the Carter administration and development continued through the Reagan administration with program costs continually rising.

始於卡特政府時期，並在雷根政府時期繼續進行，計畫成本不斷攀升。

Originally designed for use in the Cold War,

B-2最初是為冷戰設計的，

the B-2 became active in later military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

後來活躍在中東和阿富汗的軍事行動中。

The first versions cost $737 million,

最初版本的成本為7.37億美元，

rising to $929 million as retrofitting and adjustments were made.

隨著改造和調整，上升到了9.29億美元。

Ultimately,

最終，

the cost per aircraft weighed in at $2.1 billion per aircraft as the B-2 was perfected in 1997. 片語動詞

隨著B-2在1997年趨於完善，單架飛機的成本達到了21億美元。

So the Defense Authorization Act and Congress authorized 20 B-2s for $44.65 billion,

因此，《國防授權法案》和國會批准以446.5億美元購買20架B-2，

or $2.2 billion each.

即每架22億美元。

That's equivalent to $36 from each individual taxpayer for each plane, 片語搭配

這相當於每個納稅人為每架飛機貢獻了36美元，

or $720 per taxpayer for the entire program.

或者說整個計畫讓每個納稅人掏了720美元。

That's a lot of dough for the average hardworking American citizen. 慣用語

對於普通勤勞的美國公民來說，這可是一大筆錢。

The B-2 planes themselves cost eight times their weight in gold to buy and operate. 慣用語

B-2飛機本身的購買和營運成本是其等重量黃金的八倍。

Yes, these are some seriously expensive aircraft.

沒錯，這絕對是極其昂貴的飛機。

The project has been controversial from the get-go owing to the astronomical cost. 講解

由於天文數字般的成本，該計畫從一開始就備受爭議。

The B-2s number just 20 now in service 用詞

目前服役的B-2僅有20架，

with the United States Air Force planning to operate the B-2 until 2032.

美國空軍計畫將B-2運行到2032年。

An impressive weapon of war,

作為一款令人驚嘆的戰爭武器，

the B-2 is capable of all-altitude attack missions up to 50,000 ft

B-2能夠執行高達50,000英尺的全高度攻擊任務，

with a range of more than 6,000 mi on internal fuel

僅靠內部燃料航程就超過6,000英里，

and over 10,000 nautical mi with one mid-air refueling.

進行一次空中加油後航程超過10,000海里。

It has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.

它曾在伊拉克、阿富汗和利比亞服役。

Although nobody is really at liberty to say why the planes cost so much, 片語搭配

雖然沒有人真正有權說明這些飛機為何如此昂貴，

one theory is that the B-2 is just such a royal pain in the behind to maintain due to a flaw in the surface coating material. 慣用語

但有一種理論認為，B-2維護起來極其麻煩，原因是其表面塗層材料存在缺陷。

The radar-reflecting material used on the B-2 is highly hydrophilic, 用詞

B-2上使用的雷達反射材料具有高度親水性，

meaning it takes on and absorbs water readily and as the plane flies.

這意味著它在飛機飛行時很容易吸收水分。

Air friction during flight causes the surface of the B-2 to heat up, 片語動詞

飛行過程中的空氣摩擦會導致B-2的表面發熱，

meaning the water that's absorbed into the stealth material simply boils away, 片語動詞

這意味著吸收到隱形材料中的水會直接沸騰蒸發，

blistering the material.

使材料起泡。

As the surface material erodes,

隨著表面材料的剝落，

the B-2 is less stealth-like.

B-2的隱形性能也會隨之下降。

After every flight,

每次飛行後，

these blisters have to be repaired,

這些起泡都必須進行修復，

meaning that not only does the B-2 cost a ton upfront, 文法

這意味著B-2不僅前期成本極高，

but the maintenance bill is also substantial.

其維護費用也相當驚人。

This theory itself though has a flaw.

不過這個理論本身也存在漏洞。

Could the B-2 really fly so fast that the surface material heats up to the boiling point? 文法

B-2真的能飛那麼快，以至於表面材料會熱到沸點嗎？

Whether this theory is true or not, 文法

無論這個理論是否正確，

experts all agree that the paint used to coat the B-2 costs a huge sum

專家們都一致認為，用於B-2塗層的油漆成本極其高昂，

and the general overhauling,

而且常規的大修，

which must take place once every 7 years, 講解

必須每7年進行一次，

costs $60 million per aircraft.

每架飛機的大修成本為6,000萬美元。

But did the B-2 really cost $2.1 billion per aircraft?

但是B-2單機的成本真的達到了21億美元嗎？

Some have argued that due to creative accountancy and other sleight-of-hand tricks, 講解

一些人認為，由於創造性的會計手法和其他騙人的把戲，

the cost of the aircraft has been vastly overestimated

該飛機的成本被大大高估了，

and that the fleet only cost a mere $500 million to develop and manufacture.

並且整個機隊的研發和製造僅僅花費了5億美元。

That's about twice the cost of a run-of-the-mill 747 passenger airline. 慣用語

這大約是一架普通波音747客機成本的兩倍。

When you factor in the cost of training the crew, 片語動詞

當你把訓練機組人員的成本、

the cost of the weapons,

武器的成本、

expendables, and fuel,

消耗品和燃料的成本都算進去時，

all these factors pump up the price of the aircraft way beyond the cost of simply making an aircraft. 講解

所有這些因素使得這架飛機的價格遠遠超出了單純製造一架飛機的成本。

But maybe the fact that there were so few B-2s built is the very reason they were so expensive. 文法

但也許製造的B-2數量如此之少，正是它們如此昂貴的原因。

Let's look at car manufacturers to get a clearer picture of what happens here. 表達脈絡

讓我們看看汽車製造商，以更清楚地了解這裡發生的情況。

Imagine if General Motors spent 20 years to build a revolutionary line of 20 cars. 表達脈絡

想像一下，如果通用汽車花了20年時間製造出20輛革命性的汽車。

These are state-of-the-art cars of which the world has never seen the likes before. 用詞

這些都是世界上前所未見的最先進的汽車。

In order to build these cars,

為了製造這些汽車，

they have to train new mechanics,

他們必須培訓新的機械師，

to have new skills,

掌握新技能，

to use new materials,

使用新材料，

to build the new cars

來製造這些新車，

that will be subject to a design system that requires constant revision at every step of the design and production process. 片語搭配

而且這些汽車必須遵循一套在設計和生產過程的每一步都需要不斷修改的設計系統。

Design systems have to not only be drawn up,

設計系統不僅要被制定出來，

they have to be implemented with precision.

還必須被精準地執行。

This is what happened with the B-2.

這就是B-2所經歷的情況。

The best engineers were not only hired,

不僅聘請了最優秀的工程師，

they were trained by other high-earning engineers

他們還接受了其他高薪工程師的培訓，

to build an aircraft that was a unique cutting-edge piece of technology

來建造這架獨一無二的尖端技術結晶的飛機，

that was considered essential during development and has proved useful in missions since the late 1990s.

它在開發期間被認為是不可或缺的，自1990年代末以來的各種任務中也證明了它的價值。

Cutting-edge technology does not just appear,

尖端技術並非憑空出現，

it has to be painfully developed over years of hard graft, 用詞

它必須經過多年的艱苦努力、

mistakes,

犯錯、

workmanship,

精工細作、

redesign,

重新設計而痛苦地開發出來，

and eventually the product is brought to market, 片語搭配

最終產品被推向市場，

hopefully with the required design features.

希望能帶有必要的設計特徵。

The problem is other aircrafts buzz around the aerospace

問題是航空航太領域還有其他飛機在飛行，

and the B-2 is not the only flyboy in town. 慣用語

B-2並不是這裡唯一的飛行好手。

The F-22 Raptor is almost invisible to radar

F-22「猛禽」在雷達上幾乎是隱形的，

and is the most advanced and expensive production fighter after the B-2

並且是繼B-2之後最先進也是最昂貴的量產型戰鬥機，

with the cost of a single fighter estimated at around $339 million,

單架戰鬥機的成本估計在3.39億美元左右，

a snip compared to the cost of the B-2 stealth fighter. 慣用語

跟B-2隱形戰機比起來這只能算個零頭。

So perhaps with the last flights planned for the B-2 in 2032,

所以也許隨著B-2計畫在2032年進行最後一次飛行，

a successor is on the radar. 慣用語

繼任者已在醞釀之中。

Whatever the cost, 文法

不管成本如何，

the B-2 aircraft has been useful since its introduction in battle in 1999 文法

B-2飛機自1999年投入戰鬥以來一直非常有用，

and still currently it is the only aircraft carrying a Massive Ordnance Penetrator. 文化背景

目前它仍然是唯一能攜帶「大型鑽地彈」的飛機。

So if the US needs to destroy a rogue nuclear facility buried deep underground,

因此，如果美國需要摧毀深埋在地下的流氓核設施，

this is the aircraft to do it with. 文法

這就是用來完成這項任務的飛機。

So,

那麼，

do you think the B-2 bomber is worth the massive cost?

你覺得B-2轟炸機值得這麼高昂的成本嗎？

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

請在評論區告訴我們你的想法。

Also,

此外，

be sure to check out our other video called US F-35 versus Russian Su-35 fighter jet.

務必去看看我們的另一期影片《美國F-35對陣俄羅斯Su-35戰鬥機》。

Thanks for watching

感謝觀看，

and as always,

像往常一樣，

don't forget to like,

別忘了按讚、

share,

分享、

and subscribe.

和訂閱。

See you next time.

下次見。