美国批准向印度出售22架无人机

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.

源自华盛顿的消息：今天官方消息称：在印度领导人莫迪首次访美会晤川普之前，在被称为“改变游戏规则“的交易中，美国履行了对印的22架“掠食者”无人机（MQ-9B“海上守护者”）的军售协议。

The deal, estimated to be worth USD two to three billion, has beenapproved by the State Department, the sources said.

据消息人士称这笔价值20-30亿美元的军售协议已获美国国务院批准。

The decision has been communicated to the Indian government and themanufacturer by the State Department yesterday, according to the informedgovernmental sources.

据知情人透漏：此次军售协议已于昨天由美国国务院向印度政府和无人机制造厂家提出。

"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.

该知情人还告诉PTI(Press Trust of India 印度报业托拉斯) :对比奥巴马执政期间的印-美关系，这次交易是川普执政的美国政府对印态度的一个重要的风向标。

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".

在此次军售声名尚未正式发布之前，这位不愿透露姓名的知情人称：对印出售22架由”美国通用原子公司“制造的无人机是对"游戏规则"的改变。在“印-美”关系中，印度正逐渐朝”主要防御合作伙伴“的地位转变。

The designation of India being a "major defencepartner" was decided by the previous Obama Administration, and formallyapproved by the Congress.

前奥巴马政府决定并指定印度成为“重要的战略合作伙伴“，该决议已获美国国会正式批准。

The State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to thequestions in this regard. An official announcement is expected soon.

国务院和白宫没有立即对这方面的问题作出回应。不过不久将公布官方声明。

Modi's first meeting with Trump has been scheduled to take place at the WhiteHouse on June 26.

莫迪与特朗普的首次会晤定于6月26日在白宫举行。

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.

根据该无人机的制造商——美国通用原子公司的说法，此次交易的无人机是“捕食者”无人机家族中的”海上守护者“，是掠食者B型的一个变种，可用于大面积、长续航海上情报、监视和侦察任务。

It can stay in the air for up to 27 hours and can fly at maximum altitude of50,000 feet.

它能持续飞行27个小时，并能在50000英尺的最高高度飞行。

TheIndian Navy made the request for this intelligence, surveillance andreconnaissance (ISR) platform last year.

印度海军去年向印政府提出了这个集情报、监视和侦察（ISR）的一体空中平台的军购申请。

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.

曾在印度获取美国的P8“波赛顿”反潜巡逻机技术中发挥了关键作用的美国航天专家，现供职于美国通用原子公司的Vivek Lall博士，被认为在此次交易过程中快速地跟进了特朗普政府的决策，并起到了举足轻重的作用。