「空軍一號」升級太貴？特朗普發推抨擊採購方案

『Cancel Order!』 Donald Trump Attacks Plans for Upgraded Air Force OneByMICHAEL D. SHEARDecember 7, 2016WASHINGTON —President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has for years flown in a jet bearing his name, criticized a pending order for a new Air Force One, saying Tuesday morning on Twitter that the upgrade would cost too much.華盛頓——多年來一直乘坐印有其名字的噴氣式飛機出行的候任總統唐納德·J·特朗普(Donald J. Trump)，對一項尚未敲定的新空軍一號(Air Force One)採購案提出了批評。他於周二早上在Twitter上表示，更新空軍一號的花費太過高昂。The post appeared to come out of the blue: Mr. Trump had not focused during the campaign on the cost of Boeing』s plans for a next-generation plane for the president.這番話似乎是從天而降的：特朗普在競選期間並未關注過波音(Boeing)公司打造新一代總統專機的計劃所涉及的費用。And his criticism of the contract to build on a newer Boeing 747-8 airframe raised the possibility that he might prefer to keep flying his own, well-appointed 757.他對訂購新一代波音飛機747-8的合同頗有微詞，讓世人看到了這樣一種可能性：他或許傾向於繼續乘坐自己的那架設施齊全的757。The Secret Service and the Defense Department might object to Mr. Trump keeping his own airplane. Beyond convenience, Air Force One carries an array of top-secret communications gear for conducting everyday business — and for managing a global crisis, if required, while aloft. It is also equipped with a number of never discussed security features.特勤局(Secret Service)和國防部或許會反對特朗普接著使用自己的飛機。除了讓出行更方便，空軍一號還配有絕密通信設備，可供處理日常事務——如果需要的話，總統甚至可以在空中處理全球性危機。它還具有許多從未被人提及的安全功能。The current Air Force One, with its white and blue design recognizable around the globe, is aging. There are actually two of the Boeing 747-200B planes, each bearing the famous call sign only when the president is aboard.The Air Force designates them VC-25A.當前服役的這架藍白相間的空軍一號是全世界都很熟悉的，但飛機正在老化。事實上一共有兩架波音747-200B飛機，總統登上哪一架，哪一架才會啟用這個著名的無線電呼號。美國空軍給它的編號是VC-25A。They were commissioned by President Ronald Reagan and delivered during the term of his successor, President George Bush. The new plane, which the Defense Department had hoped to deliver to the White House by 2023, would have been more powerful, able to travel farther and more technologically advanced.它們是由羅納德·里根(Ronald Reagan)總統委託製造的，不過是在喬治·布希(George Bush)總統任內交付。國防部希望訂購的新飛機可以在2023年交付給白宮。新飛機性能更強，能飛得更遠，在技術上也更先進。But given Mr. Trump』s Twitter post, it is unclear when — or whether — Air Force One will get an upgrade.但鑒於特朗普的推文，目前尚不清楚空軍一號何時才會升級，或者是否會升級。In remarks to reporters at Trump Tower shortly after his message, Mr. Trump made clear that he was serious about the issue. He accused Boeing of escalating the costs of building a new plane.發帖不久後，特朗普在特朗普大廈(Trump Tower)內明確地告訴記者，他對這件事是認真的。他指責波音公司提高了新飛機的製造成本。「The plane is totally out of control,」 Mr. Trump said. 「It』s going to be over $4 billion for Air Force One program, and I think it』s ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money.」「飛機的開支完全失控了，」特朗普說。「空軍一號項目的費用將在40億美元以上。我認為波音有點兒不厚道。我們想讓波音多賺錢，但不是多到這種程度。」Ina statement just before noonon Tuesday, Boeing made no mention of Mr. Trump or his post on Twitter, but it said it remained committed to proceeding with the upgrade to Air Force One.波音公司在周二午前發表的聲明中沒有提及特朗普或者他的推文，但它表示仍在致力於推進空軍一號的升級換代工作。「We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the president of the United States,」 said the statement, which was posted on the company』s website. 「We look forward to working with the U.S. Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer.」「我們目前有價值1.7億美元的合同在身，旨在幫助提升複雜的軍用飛機的性能，以滿足美國總統的獨特需求，」發布在該公司網站上的聲明稱。「我們期待與美國空軍在該項目的後續階段進行合作，從而在符合美國納稅人最佳利益的前提下為總統提供最好的飛機。」As an icon of presidential power, Air Force One has no equal and presidents of both parties have repeatedly expressed that they would miss flying the world on it once they leave office. President Obama last year said the plane was the No. 1 perk of his office.作為總統權力的標誌，空軍一號是無與倫比的，出自兩黨的總統都曾多次表示，他們在卸任後會非常懷念乘坐它週遊世界的日子。奧巴馬總統去年表示，搭乘空軍一號是他當總統期間享受的最大福利。But it is also an expensive perk, reportedly costing as much as $180,000 per hour to fly. And building the plane, with its top-secret communications and defenses against attacks, runs in the billions of dollars. As of last year, the Air Force had asked for $3 billion over the next five years to develop and build the planes.但這同時也是一項昂貴的福利，據報道，它每小時的飛行成本高達18萬美元。製造這種配有絕密通信設備和預防攻擊設施的飛機，要耗費數十億美元。截至去年，美國空軍已經為未來5年的飛機研發和製造工作申請了30億美元資金。That has long prompted concerns over waste among government watchdog groups. And it is not only the president』s plane: During Mr. Obama』s tenure, the cost of replacing the equally iconic Marine One helicopter fleet had grown so much that Mr. Obama canceled that order, too. A new contract has since been drawn up.因此，一些政府監督組織長期以來一直擔心太過浪費。而且總統搭乘的飛機不只是空軍一號：在奧巴馬任期內，同樣十分著名的「海軍陸戰隊一號」(Marine One)直升機隊的飛機置換費用也大幅提高，以至於奧巴馬取消了訂單。自從那時起，相關方面一直在起草一份新合約。Air Force One is much better known across the world, serving as the backdrop for the president』s arrival in countries both friendly and not.空軍一號在世界各地的名氣更大，每當總統抵達其他國家，不論是跟美國是否保持友好關係，它都會充當背景板。On Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush flew the plane from air base to air base, staying aloft because of Secret Service fears that he might be targeted as the government scrambled to assess the terrorist attacks in New York and elsewhere.2011年9月11日，喬治·W·布希(George W. Bush)總統乘坐空中一號從一個空軍基地飛往另一個空軍基地，一直待在空中，因為特勤局擔心，在政府忙於對紐約和其他地方的恐怖襲擊進行評估之際，他可能會成為攻擊目標。While impressive — the current Air Force One is 4,000 square feet, including a bedroom and office for the president, conference rooms and a cabin for the traveling news media — it is not gold-plated like the fixtures in Mr. Trump』s plane.現役空軍一號儘管令人讚歎——面積4000平方英尺，內有總統專用的一間卧室和一間辦公室，還有會議室以及一個為隨行媒體準備的專用艙——但並不像特朗普的飛機那樣鑲金飾銀。It is unclear what motivated Mr. Trump』s Twitter post. Aides to the president-elect did not respond to requests about whether he or others on his team had conducted a review of the Boeing contract.目前尚不清楚特朗普發推是出於什麼動機。當被問及特朗普或其團隊里的其他人是否審核過波音的合約時，這位候任總統的助手未作回應。On the morning transition conference call with reporters, Mr. Trump』s spokesman, Jason Miller, said the president-elect sold his entire stock portfolio in June. The remarks were in response to a question about an old Twitter post from Mr. Trump boasting about purchasing Boeing stock.早上跟記者開過渡期事務電話會議的時候，特朗普的發言人賈森·米勒(Jason Miller)說，候任總統在6月份拋售了手頭的所有股票。這是在回應特朗普以前發的一條推文所引發的質疑，當時他炫耀自己購入了波音的股票。Last week, Mr. Trump announced a new panel of corporate advisers, called the President』s Strategic and Policy Forum. One member of that panel is W. James McNerney Jr., the former chairman and chief executive of Boeing.上周，特朗普宣布成立一個企業顧問委員會，名為總統策略和政策論壇(President』s Strategic and Policy Forum)。其成員之一小W·詹姆斯·邁克納尼(W.James McNerney Jr.)曾是波音董事長和首席執行官。There is no reason Mr. Trump could not continue using the current Air Force One. Even if the Boeing contract goes forward, it is unlikely that a new version of the plane would be ready before the tail end of a second Trump term, should he win one.目前看來，特朗普沒有理由不繼續使用現役空軍一號。即使波音的合約繼續生效，新飛機至少要在特朗普第二個任期臨近尾聲之前才能就位——如果他能贏得第二個任期的話。So Mr. Trump』s action — if he follows through on canceling the Boeing contract — would affect his successor more than himself.因此，特朗普的舉動——如果他說到做到，取消跟波音的合約的話——會影響到他的繼任者，而非他自己。
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