CNN News:美国海军现代化速度减慢

First up, the U.S. Navy, its former slogan, "A global force for good", but how large should that force be? That question is being addressed by politicians, military experts, observers and analysts. But the answer is harder to find.

首先，是美国海军。之前它的宣传语是“维护正义的全球武装力量”，那么这个武装力量应该有多大的规模呢?政治家们、军事专家、观察员以及分析人士们都在解决这一问题。

On one hand, the U.S. Navy currently has 10 aircraft carriers, more than the rest of the world combined, and technology that some observers say puts it well ahead of any other countries` navy.

一方面，美国海军现在已经拥有10辆航空母舰，这个数量是世界上其他的国家加起来也不能匹敌的。一些观察员也称，航空母舰的技术也领先于世界上的其他国家。

On the other hand, the military branch itself says changes are coming, and that it needs 30 more ships to maintain its presence around the world.

另一方面，军事部门自己称，变革即将发生，他们还需要30辆船舰来维持目前的世界地位。

Many defense experts agree, but a shrinking U.S. military budget could keep the Navy stretched thin.

很多防御 专家也同意这一观点，但是萎缩的美国军事预算可能会让美国海军捉襟见肘。

TOM PATTERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Navy is the world`s largest. American warships travel the globe, confronting drug traffickers and pirates, providing post-disaster humanitarian aid, and prepping for possible military conflicts.

汤姆·帕特森，CNN 记者：美国海军的规模在世界上排名第一。美国军舰环游世界，曾遭遇过毒品贩子、海盗、也为灾后国家提供过人道主义援助。同时也为由可能发生的军事冲突做好了准备。

But in terms of fleet size, today`s navy is the smallest it`s been since World War I. Of course, the differences between the technology back then and today`s make this comparison questionable.

但是，在舰队规模方面，自从第一次世界大战以来，美国海军是最小的。当然，那时候和现在的技术差异让这一比较令人有些质疑。

Currently, the U.S. Navy has 273 ships, including 10 aircraft carriers and 30 amphibious ships.

现在，美国海军拥有273艘战舰，其中包括10辆航空母舰和30艘两栖舰艇。

China`s navy now with about 250 warships is expanding, the Pentagon says. And Russia, with about 270 warships, is modernizing with the new class of cruise missile subs.

五角大楼称，现在，中国海军拥有250艘战舰，规模也还在继续增加。俄罗斯，现在拥有270艘战舰，现代化的新类巡航导弹潜艇。

A Navy strategy report released in March recommended the U.S. fleet be beefed up to more than 300 vessels.

今年3月发布的美国海军战略报告称，建议美国舰队，船舰的数量增加到300多艘。

But some presidential candidates wonder if that will be enough. By 2020, the Navy says about 60 percent of its ships and aircraft will be based in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region, including new weapon systems like the F-35 fighter jet, and the Zumwalt-class destroyer.

但是，一些总统候选人质疑这个数量是否足够。到2020年，美国海军称大约60%的船只和飞机将在印亚太地区，这其中包括新式武器f-35战斗机，朱姆沃尔特级驱逐舰。

The Pentagon also wants more ships closer to potential hotspots like the Middle East.

三角大楼希望更多的船舰靠近潜在的如中东这样的热点地区。

Maintaining a fleet with well-rested and properly trained sailors requires a constantly shifting, highly choreographed, strategic dance, with national security hanging in the balance. A rotation like that cost big money. Over the past three years, Congress has given the Navy $25 billion less than the White House requested, which the Navy says has slowed modernization.

维护一个训练良好，海员训练有素的舰队需要不断的做调整，精密的编排、战略部署，以及与国家安全保持平衡。这样的过程需要耗费大量的资本。在过去三年，美国议会提供给海军的经费比白宫要求的少了250亿美元。美国海军称这减慢了海军现代化的速度。

Some experts at Washington think tanks say the Navy is already large enough to do its job. Others questioned the value of expensive aircraft carriers and wonder if that money could be spent better elsewhere, like on so-called unmanned combat air vehicles, aka drones.

华盛顿的一些专家认为海军的规模已经足够大，可以执行自己的任务了。而其他一些人则质疑这些昂贵航空母舰的价值，怀疑这些钱是不是能更好的花在别处，例如，所谓的无人机啊~

Tom Patterson, CNN.

汤姆·帕特森，CNN。