英语沙龙：高科技神话 隐形航空电子技术

Vaunted Technology: Stealth Avionics

Northrop Grumman Corp．（NGC）boasts on its Web site the B－２spirit stealth bomber¹ is nearly invisible．Because the plane’s composite materials and bat－shaped design make it hard for radar² to pick up．However，in １９９９，an F－１１７，which also has a stealthy shape and materials，was blasted out of the sky over the Balkans．Stealth technology is hardly a sham³．It shrinks the radar“signature”of a plane．If a conventional aircraft makes a blip on radar screens at ２００kilometers，a stealthy plane wouldn’ t appear until it was ３４km away．The point is，radar does eventually detect the plane．Weather can also present a problem．The B－２’s materials were tested at Edwards Air Force Base，where it rarely rains．But when the high－tech bombers⁴ got drenched⁵ during missions in the Balkans，the tape used to fill seams in the composite skin often came loose．That en larges the radar signature．

高科技神话：隐形航空电子技术

诺思罗普-格鲁曼公司在自己的网站上吹嘘说，“精灵”B-２隐形轰炸机几乎是看不见的，因为该机的复合材料和蝙蝠形状的设计使其难以被雷达发现。然而以相同形状和材料制造的一架F-１１７战斗机却于１９９９年在巴尔干半岛上空被击落。隐形技术绝不是假的。它能缩小飞机在雷达屏幕上的信号特征。假如普通飞机在２００公里以外时在雷达屏幕上形成一个光点，那么隐形飞机要到３４公里时才会在雷达屏幕上显现。

问题是，雷达最终还是会发现飞机。天气也会带来问题。对B －２材料的测试工作是在很少下雨的爱德华兹空军基地开展的。但当该机在巴尔干半岛执行任务时，遭到雨淋后，用于填充复合材料外壳接缝的胶带往往会松脱，从而扩大了飞机的雷达信号特征。

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

3 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

4 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》