【4月27日】看軍聞學英語

■刀客

原文：

After more than 50 years of failed attempts, the U.S. military may be on the verge of ending its love affair with brass-cased ammunition, something that predates the Spanish-American War.

Traditional brass has dominated military small-arms ammo since U.S. troops stormed up San Juan Hill, Cuba, in 1898. The robust material performs well in the violent, super-heated space of weapon chambers during firing, but its sheer weight has always been a problem for infantrymen and logisticians alike.

Advancements in body armor, communications equipment and other tactical gear have weighed down U.S. combat troops in the Army and Marines, pushing individual loads well past 100 pounds and degrading service members' physical performance, U.S. military studies have shown.

中譯：

黃銅彈殼彈藥早在美西戰爭就已存在，美軍曾企圖斬斷與其親密依存之關係，歷經50多年的嘗試依然未果，如今或許就快要跟黃銅彈殼彈藥「說掰掰」了。

自美軍1898年攻占古巴聖胡安山起，傳統黃銅就已在軍用輕兵器彈藥佔有舉足輕重的地位。黃銅堅固耐用的材質，在武器射擊時彈膛高爆、高溫的空間展現優異特性；惟其沉甸甸的重量，對步兵及後勤人員而言，向來就是個問題。

美軍研究顯示，防彈衣、通信裝備及其他戰術裝具的精進，讓單兵負重超過百磅，體能表現也跟著降低，成為美國陸軍及陸戰隊戰鬥部隊的沉重負擔。

─關鍵軍語─

※brass-cased ammunition:

Any cartridge loaded in brass case or shell.

※body armor:

A suit of armor.

例句：

Body armor is protective clothing designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks.

防彈衣是用來吸收或偏轉實體攻擊的防護服。