【3月6日】看軍聞學英語

原文：

For some U.S. Air Force leaders, retiring the A-10 Warthog close-air support aircraft, best known for its iconic Gatling gun designed to shred tanks, was a simple decision.

The Defense Department's fiscal 2021 budget request calls for the retirement of more than 100 aircraft across a number of platforms, including B-1B Lancer bombers; older-model KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender aerial refuelers; RQ-4 Global Hawk drones; and more than three dozen A-10s.

That would free up some $4.1 billion over the next five years to spend on future technologies and networking the existing fleet to make it more agile and capable. If, that is, Air Force leaders can somehow sell the plan to Congress.

中譯：

對部分美國空軍高層來說，要將A-10「疣豬」密接空中支援機除役並非困難的決定。該機因配賦用來摧毀戰車極具代表性的格林機槍，而享譽盛名。

美國防部2021財年預算案要求從空中各作戰平台將100多架飛機除役，相關機種包括B-1B「槍騎兵」轟炸機、舊款的KC-135「同溫層」及KC-10 「補充者」空中加油機、RQ-4「全球鷹」無人偵察機，以及30餘架A10戰機。

此舉在未來5年，可釋出約41億美元，將預算用在開發未來技術，並使現有機群網絡化，使行動更為敏捷、功能更強大。若可行的話，空軍高層會設法促使國會接受這個方案。

－關鍵軍語－

※Gatling gun:

Early rapid-fire spring loaded, hand cranked weapons.

※aerial refueler:

Tanker aircraft used for aerial refueling of another craft while in flight.

例句：

U.S. Marine Corps accepted delivery of its 50th KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueler.

美陸戰隊接收了第50架KC-130J超級力士空中加油機。