【CNN】最先进的F-35战机因天气原因推迟飞往以色列 [美国媒体]

作者：By Ryan Browne
 
发表时间： 1833 GMT (0233 HKT) 2016年12月22日

Nevatim Air Base, Israel (CNN) A majorceremony celebrating the arrival of two cutting-edge F-35 stealth jets intendedto demonstrate the bond between the US and Israel was delayed by several hoursMonday due to their inability to take off in bad weather.

内瓦提姆空军基地，以色列（CNN）两架最新式F-35隐形战机将于本周一飞抵以色列以显示美国和以色列之间的纽带关系，但由于恶劣天气的原因战机无法起飞，以色列为之准备的盛大庆祝仪式也因此推迟了几个小时。

US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter welcomethe delivery of two F-35 fighter aircraft to Israel, making it the firstcountry outside of the United States to receive the advance aircraft.

美国国防部长阿什·卡特欢迎两架F-35战机运抵以色列，使其成为首个除美国外拥有该战机的国家。

"There's no better symbol of the UScommitment to Israel's security that the F-35, the most capable aircraft in theskies," Carter declared.

“没有什么能比F-35这种天空中最有战斗力的飞机更能代表美国对以色列的安全承诺，”卡特宣布。

The Israeli Prime Minister BinyaminNetanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin are also attending.

以色列总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡和以色列总统鲁温·瑞弗林也出席了庆典。

"The plane that will land here willchange the rules of the game," Rivlin said at the ceremony. "In ourregion you cannot be second."

“即将着陆的飞机将会改变游戏规则，”瑞弗林在庆典上说。“在我们这一地区，你不能当第二名。”

But bad weather in Italy delayed themultimillion-dollar planes by more than six hours.

但是意大利的恶劣天气让这两架单价数百万（译者注：F-35单价实际上有数千万）美元的战机推迟六个多小时起飞。

The postponement was announced minutesbefore President-elect Donald Trump sent a tweet slamming the F-35.

推迟消息发表几分钟后，美国当选总统唐纳德·川普发表推文抨击F-35.

"The F-35 program and cost is out ofcontrol. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other)purchases after January 20th," Trump tweeted, referring to InaugurationDay.

“F-35计划和耗资都失控了。等明年1月20日之后可以并将会从军事采购（和其他方面）节省数十亿美元。”

The jet has been labelled the mostexpensive weapons program in history, with some estimates placing its cost at$400 billion.

该型战机被称为历史上最昂贵的武器项目，有些统计称该工程耗资4000亿美元。

Its development has been beset by delaysand cost overruns, making it the subject of intense criticism. The chairman ofthe Senate Armed Services Committee, Arizona Republican John McCain, labeledthe development of the weapons system a "scandal and a tragedy."

该项目被进度推迟和耗资超标困扰，并因此广受诟病。参议院军事委员会主席，亚利桑那州共和党参议员约翰·麦凯恩称该武器系统发展项目为一个“丑闻和悲剧”。

Trump's tweet plunged the stock price ofthe plane's manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, into free fall.

川普的推文让F-35的制造商洛克希德马丁公司的股价直接自由落体。

But the F-35's proponents say thatinternational orders for the aircraft will help drive the price per aircraft --currently well over $100 million -- down, as they will allow the manufacturerto achieve economies of scale.

但是F-35的拥护者们说国际订单会让该飞机的单价——目前超过1亿美元——下降，因为他们会允许制造者达到规模经济。

Israel's decision to acquire 50 of theaircraft represents a welcome development for the jet's backers, as somecountries have recently abandoned plans to introduce it into their respectiveair forces. Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau recently opted to purchaseolder model F/A-18s instead.

以色列决定购买50架该型飞机成为F-35项目支持者们可喜的进展，而其他一些国家最近宣布放弃为其空军引进F-35。加拿大总理贾斯汀·特鲁多最近决定转而购买旧型号的F/A-18s。

Military analysts in Israel welcomed theaircraft's delivery, noting its symbolism.

以色列的军事分析者欢迎该战机的到来，注意到其象征意义。

"The idea that you're the first state,the first air force in the area that gets it, it's a lot to yourreputation," retired Israeli Air Force Brig. Gen. Ephram Segoli told CNN'sIan Lee.

“你是第一个国家，本地区第一支获得它的空军，这个对你的声誉意味着很多，”以色列空军退休准将埃弗拉姆·赛格里告诉CNN的兰·李。

Israel is receiving the US Air Force'svariant of the jet, though it has opted to make its own modifications.

以色列将接收该战机的美国空军版改型，尽管它决定将生产自己的改进型。

The jet comes after the countries recentlysigned a 10-year security assistance memorandum that will provide $38 billionin aid to Israel.

F-35战斗机紧随两国刚刚签订的一份10年的安全援助备忘录而来，美国将根据此协议为以色列提供380亿美元的援助。

US military assistance to Israel dwarfsthat of any other recipient, with the US providing some $24 billion to Israelduring the last eight years, according to National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

美国对以色列的军事援助使其他接收飞机的国家相形见绌，据国家安全顾问苏珊·莱斯称，过去八年内美国共向以色列提供了240亿美元的援助。

Despite this largesse, Republicans haveslammed President Barack Obama and his administration for being insufficientlysupportive of Israel on policy matters.

除了慷慨解囊外，共和党猛烈批评巴拉克·奥巴马总统和他的政府没有在政策上充分支持以色列。

"He may be the worst thing to everhappen to Israel, believe me," Trump said of Obama during his March speechto American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

“他对以色列来说会是最坏的东西，相信我，”川普在三月对美国以色列公共事务委员会谈论到奥巴马时说。

Netanyahu told "60 Minutes" in aninterview that aired Sunday that he is planning on meeting with Trump soon todiscuss ending one of Obama's key diplomatic initiatives, the Iran nuclearpact, which Trump has called "stupid" and a "disgrace."

内塔尼亚胡在星期天播出的“60分钟”节目中说，他将很快跟川普讨论结束奥巴马的一项关键性外交倡议——伊朗核协议，川普曾批评该协议“愚蠢”和“”耻辱。