2015考研英语阅读最后一代有人驾驶战斗机_大学英语阅读

2015考研英语阅读最后一代有人驾驶战斗机

　　That was the idea, anyway. The F-35s critics have long argued that its performance iscompromised by having to fulfil too many roles and that an over-complicated design lashed toan over-optimistic schedule was asking for trouble. In the past 18 months, as delays havemounted and costs escalated, even some of the planes ardent fans have become alarmed. In2009 the Pentagon realised that a breach of the Nunn-McCurdy rules on over-budget defence-procurement programmes was inevitable, because costs would exceed the original baselineby more than 50%. An internal report declared: Affordability is no longer embraced as a corepillar.

　　说得再好，也仅仅是一些构思。F-35项目的反对者一直认为飞机会因为不得不身兼数职而导致性能大打折扣，而飞机过于复杂的设计却与过分乐观的项目进度捆绑在一起，这无疑于自讨苦吃。在过去18个月，研发进度屡次滞后，成本又不断上升，使得一些该项目的狂热粉丝也不免有所担心。2009年，五角大楼意识到违反Nunn-McCurdy条例在所难免，因为项目成本将高出原标准50%多。一份内部报告指出：成本优势已经不再被视为这个项目的核心要素。

　　Anticipating the breach, in March 2010 Mr Gates restated his support for the F-35, but hit outat unacceptable delays and cost overruns. He said he was fundamentally restructuring theprogramme, adding more money and time for development. He also withheld $614m inperformance payments to Lockheed Martin, tying its future earnings to specific criteria ratherthan the subjective ones that he believed had stiffed the taxpayer.