美國批准向印度出售22架無人機
WASHINGTON: The US has cleared the sale of 22predator Guardian drones to India, governmental sources said today, a dealbeing termed as a "game changer" ahead of Prime Minister NarendraModi's visit here for his maiden meeting with President Donald Trump.
源自華盛頓的消息：今天官方消息稱：在印度領導人莫迪首次訪美會晤川普之前，在被稱爲“改變遊戲規則“的交易中，美國履行了對印的22架“掠食者”無人機（MQ-9B“海上守護者”）的軍售協議。The deal, estimated to be worth USD two to three billion, has beenapproved by the State Department, the sources said.
據消息人士稱這筆價值20-30億美元的軍售協議已獲美國國務院批准。The decision has been communicated to the Indian government and themanufacturer by the State Department yesterday, according to the informedgovernmental sources.
據知情人透漏：此次軍售協議已於昨天由美國國務院向印度政府和無人機制造廠家提出。
"This is the first very significant sign of the Trump administration beingmore result oriented in its relationship with India compared to Obamaadministration," a source told PTI.
該知情人還告訴PTI(Press Trust of India 印度報業托拉斯) :對比奧巴馬執政期間的印-美關係，這次交易是川普執政的美國政府對印態度的一個重要的風向標。The sources, who requested anonymity as the deal has not been formallyannounced, said the sale of 22 predator drones being manufactured by GeneralAtomics is "a game changer" for US-India relations as itoperationalises the status of "major defence partner".
在此次軍售聲名尚未正式發佈之前，這位不願透露姓名的知情人稱：對印出售22架由”美國通用原子公司“製造的無人機是對"遊戲規則"的改變。在“印-美”關係中，印度正逐漸朝”主要防禦合作伙伴“的地位轉變。The designation of India being a "major defencepartner" was decided by the previous Obama Administration, and formallyapproved by the Congress.
前奧巴馬政府決定並指定印度成爲“重要的戰略合作伙伴“，該決議已獲美國國會正式批准。The State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to thequestions in this regard. An official announcement is expected soon.
國務院和白宮沒有立即對這方面的問題作出迴應。不過不久將公佈官方聲明。Modi's first meeting with Trump has been scheduled to take place at the WhiteHouse on June 26.
莫迪與特朗普的首次會晤定於6月26日在白宮舉行。According to General Atomics, the Predator Guardian UAV, avariant of the Predator B, can be used for wide-area, long- endurance maritimeintelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
根據該無人機的製造商——美國通用原子公司的說法，此次交易的無人機是“捕食者”無人機家族中的”海上守護者“，是掠食者B型的一個變種，可用於大面積、長續航海上情報、監視和偵察任務。It can stay in the air for up to 27 hours and can fly at maximum altitude of50,000 feet.
它能持續飛行27個小時，並能在50000英尺的最高高度飛行。TheIndian Navy made the request for this intelligence, surveillance andreconnaissance (ISR) platform last year.
印度海軍去年向印政府提出了這個集情報、監視和偵察（ISR）的一體空中平臺的軍購申請。US Aerospace expert Dr Vivek Lall of General Atomics who was pivotal in Indiaacquiring Boeing P8 ISR technology, is believed to have played a key role infast tracking the decision-making process of the Trump administration.
曾在印度獲取美國的P8“波賽頓”反潛巡邏機技術中發揮了關鍵作用的美國航天專家，現供職於美國通用原子公司的Vivek Lall博士，被認爲在此次交易過程中快速地跟進了特朗普政府的決策，並起到了舉足輕重的作用。
