美国公司正在研发6倍音速飞机

 　　Lockheed Martin says it's developing a Mach 6 aircraft that would be faster than any other fighter jet.

　　洛克希德·马丁公司日前宣布，该公司正在研发一款速度可达6马赫、比其它所有飞机都快的战斗机。

　　Called the Hypersonic Test Vehicle 3X, or HTV-3X, the new plane could reach speeds of more than six times the typical cruising speed of the Boeing 747-8, which has been chosen as the next presidential aircraft.

　　这种新战斗机被称为超高音速验证战机3X，比成为总统专机的波音747-8的典型巡航速度快6倍有余。

　　The HTV-3X would be three times faster than the F-22 Raptor fighter jets, flying at 4,600 miles per hour – meaning it could travel the distance of the Earth's circumference¹ in about five and half hours or the time it takes a 747 to travel from New York to Los Angeles.

　　超高音速验证战机3X的速度是F-22猛禽战斗机的3倍，为4600迈--这意味着其环绕地球飞行一周仅需五个半小时，而同样的时间波音747只能从纽约飞抵洛杉矶。

　　Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson revealed for the first time that significant progress has been made regarding the new fighter jet.

　　洛克希德·马丁公司的首席执行官玛丽莲·休森首次揭示了这种新战斗机所取得的重大进步。

　　"We accomplished² several breakthroughs on HTV-3X. And we're now producing a controllable, low-drag, aerodynamic configuration³ capable of stable operation from take-off, to sub-sonic, trans-sonic, super-sonic, and hypersonic to Mach 6," she said in a statement.

　　休森在一份声明中表示：“我们在超高音速验证战机3X技术上取得了几项突破。现在我们正在生产一种可控的、阻力小的飞机气动外形，从起飞到切换到亚音速，跨音速，超音速，高超音速直到6马赫的速度下皆可平稳运行”。

　　"And most importantly, we're proving a hypersonic aircraft can be produced at an affordable⁴ price. We estimate it will cost less than $1 billion dollars to develop, build, and fly a demonstrator aircraft the size of an F-22," she added.

　　休森补充道：“最重要的是，公司正在努力证明高超音速飞机也可实现平价生产。据公司估计，研发、制造并起飞一架F-22大小的战斗机的造价将少于10亿美元。”

　　At the same time, Lockheed's legendary⁵ Skunk⁶ Works is working on other secret hypersonic aircraft including the Falcon⁷ HTV-2.

　　洛克希德公司旗下富有传奇色彩的臭鼬工厂还在进行其他高超音速飞机的研发工作，其中就包括猎鹰HTV2飞机。

　　The unmanned aircraft is launched on a rocket and could achieve Mach 20 speeds – that's 13,000 miles per hour. At those speeds, it could leave New York City and arrive in Los Angeles in less than 12 minutes.

　　这种无人机将采用火箭作为助推器，速度可达到音速的20倍--也就是13000迈，在这种速度下，该飞机从纽约起飞到洛杉矶仅需不到12分钟。

1 circumference   

n.圆周，周长，圆周线

参考例句：

• It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。
• The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

2 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

3 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

6 skunk   

n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥

参考例句：

• That was a rotten thing to do, you skunk!那种事做得太缺德了，你这卑鄙的家伙！
• The skunk gives off an unpleasant smell when attacked.受到攻击时臭鼬会发出一种难闻的气味。

7 falcon   

n.隼，猎鹰

参考例句：

• The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers.鹰张开羽毛比两只鹰还大。
• The boys went hunting with their falcon.男孩子们带着猎鹰出去打猎了。