英國皇家海軍最先進驅逐艦怕熱

The engines powering the Royal Navy’s cutting-edge fleet of Type 45 destroyers are unable to operate continuously in the warm waters of the Gulf, MPs were told on Tuesday.

週二，英國國會議員們被告知，英國皇家海軍(Royal Navy)最先進的45型驅逐艦(Type 45 Destroyer)的發動機無法在波斯灣(the Gulf)溫暖水域持續運行。

Executives from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Northrop Grumman and General Electric were grilled by the defence select committee about the failures that have caused the UK’s newest and most advanced destroyers to break down repeatedly in recent years, leaving them without power for propulsion or weapons systems.

這種缺陷導致英國這款最新、最先進的驅逐艦近幾年來反覆發生故障，喪失驅動推進系統或武器系統的動力。英國國會防務特別委員會就此盤問了BAE系統(BAE Systems)、羅爾斯•羅伊斯(Rolls-Royce)、諾思羅普•格魯曼(Northrop Grumman)和通用電氣(General Electric)的高管。

Responding to questions about why the power systems failed in warmer waters than the UK, John Hudson, managing director of BAE Systems maritime, said the original specifications for the vessel had not required it to sustain extremes. “The operating profile at the time was that there would not be repeated or continuous operations in the Gulf,” he said.

在回答爲何動力系統在比英國溫暖的水域會失靈的問題時，BAE系統海事董事總經理約翰•赫德森(John Hudson)表示，該艦最初的技術規格並未要求它承受極端條件。他說：“當時的運行環境要求是，不會反覆或持續在波斯灣執行任務。”

Tomas Leahy, of Rolls-Royce naval programmes, said the destroyer was now operating in “far more arduous conditions than envisaged in the specifications”.

羅爾斯•羅伊斯海軍計劃部門的托馬斯•萊希(Tomas Leahy)表示，這款驅逐艦如今是在“比技術規格所設想的惡劣得多的環境”中執行任務。

However, the Ministry of Defence denied that this was the case. “The Type 45 was designed for worldwide operations from sub-Arctic to extreme tropical environments and continues to operate effectively in the Gulf and South Atlantic all year round.”

但英國國防部(Ministry of Defence)認爲事情並非如此。“從設計上講，45型驅逐艦是用來在從亞北極區到極端熱帶環境的世界各地執行任務。它仍在波斯灣及南大西洋有效地展開行動，全年都是如此。”

The six ships, which cost the taxpayer ￡1bn each, are the backbone of Britain’s combat force at sea and are among the most advanced missile destroyers in the world. They are the Royal Navy’s first all-electric ships and are driven by two Rolls-Royce WR21 gas turbines and two Wartsila diesel engines.

這六艘45型驅逐艦每艘耗費了納稅人10億英鎊，它們是英國海上戰鬥力量的骨幹，也是全球最先進的導彈驅逐艦之一。它們是英國皇家海軍首批全電推進的艦隻，由兩臺羅爾斯•羅伊斯WR21燃氣輪機和兩臺瓦錫蘭(Wartsila)柴油發動機驅動。

The WR21 is designed to deliver significantly improved operating costs by using an intercooler recuperator, which recovers exhaust and recycles the gas into the engine.

在設計上，WR21通過使用中冷器和回熱器大幅提高運行效率。中冷器和回熱器會回收廢氣，供發動機循環使用。

But, as a rule, power turbines slowed down in warm temperatures, MPs were told. This had not been recognised by the system, which continued to demand more power. Eventually the generators would come to a halt. “This is not the fault of the WR21,” said Mr Leahy. “It is the laws of physics.”

英國國會議員們被告知，一般來說，動力渦輪在溫暖的環境下會減慢轉速。整個系統卻認識不到這一點，繼續要求提供更多動力。最終，發電機會陷入停機。萊希表示：“這不是WR21的錯，這是物理定律。”

MPs could hardly believe what they had heard. “I am absolutely stunned,” said Douglas Chapman, of the Scottish National party. “To have a ￡1bn asset that you put into a war zone and we don’t know if those people we put there can come out alive — I am just astounded.”

英國國會議員們簡直不敢相信他們聽到的話。蘇格蘭民族黨(Scottish National Party)的道格拉斯•查普曼(Douglas Chapman)表示：“我完全蒙了。我們將一個價值10億英鎊的資產投入戰區，卻不知道我們派到那兒去的那些人能否活着出來——真讓我感到震驚。”

The MoD is having to set aside tens of millions of pounds to fix the destroyers. The plan is to install two extra diesel engines which will require cutting a hole in the hull of the brand new destroyers.

英國國防部現在不得不撥備數千萬英鎊來修理這些驅逐艦。目前的計劃是再安裝兩臺柴油發動機，爲了做到這點，必須在這些嶄新的驅逐艦的船體上切割出一個洞。