中國洽購俄火箭發(fā)動機技術(shù)引發(fā)美國擔憂

Great Wall Industry, the Chinese space launch company, is negotiating with Russia’s top rocket maker to procure sensitive engine technology, highlighting the deepening aerospace ties between the two countries that have sparked concerns in Washington.

中國航天發(fā)射公司——中國長城工業(yè)集團有限公司(CGWIC)正與俄羅斯頂級火箭制造商談判，以求獲得敏感的發(fā)動機技術(shù)。這突顯了兩國之間日益加深的航空航天合作紐帶，在華盛頓引發(fā)擔憂。

Russia’s leading rocket engine manufacturer, NPO Energomash, confirmed to the FT on Wednesday that the talks were taking place, although attempts to reach Great Wall Industries were unsuccessful. China’s National Space Administration also declined to comment.

俄羅斯領(lǐng)先的火箭發(fā)動機制造商——動力機械科研生產(chǎn)聯(lián)合體(NPO Energomash)周三向英國《金融時報》證實，談判正在進行之中，盡管記者嘗試采訪長城公司的努力未獲成功。中國國家航天局(CNSA)也拒絕置評。

Energomash’s engine, the RD-180, is so highly rated that it is used by the US for its own satellite launches — a curious exception to Washington’s sanctions on Russia implemented following the 2014 invasion of Crimea.

動力機械科研生產(chǎn)聯(lián)合體研發(fā)的RD-180發(fā)動機受到如此高度的評價，以至于美國都將其用于衛(wèi)星發(fā)射——成為2014年俄羅斯吞并克里米亞后美國對俄實施制裁中一項耐人尋味的例外。

US politicians have threatened to block future purchases of the RD-180 under pressure from competitors such as SpaceX and geopolitical concerns over relying on Russia for strategic technologies.

在SpaceX等競爭對手的壓力下，加上對依賴俄羅斯戰(zhàn)略技術(shù)的地緣政治擔憂，美國政界人士已威脅要阻止未來對RD-180的采購。

That uncertainty surrounding the RD-180 has given special significance to Russian negotiations with China as an alternative buyer. While the RD-180 is intended for civilian rockets it has obvious military applications, with China creating a new generation of ballistic missiles including ‘carrier-killers’ designed to sink ships. Great Wall’s parent company, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Company (CASC) is China’s most prominent developer of ICBMs.

圍繞RD-180的不確定性，使俄羅斯與作為替代買家的中國之間的談判具有特別重大的意義。雖然RD-180設(shè)計用于民用火箭，但它明顯具有軍事用途——考慮到中國正在研發(fā)新一代彈道導彈，包括旨在擊沉艦船的“航母殺手”。長城公司的母公司中國航天科技集團(CASC)是中國最知名的洲際彈道導彈(ICBM)研發(fā)機構(gòu)。

“I’d be deeply sceptical of anything space-related staying ‘within channels’, especially if it has military applicability, if it’s at CASC,” said Scott Harold, an expert on China’s defence industries at Georgetown University and the Rand Corporation in Washington. Attempts to reach CASC were unsuccessful.

喬治敦大學(Georgetown University)和蘭德公司(Rand Corporation)的中國軍工產(chǎn)業(yè)專家斯科特•哈羅德(Scott Harold)表示：“我對任何太空相關(guān)合作堅守民用的前景都深感懷疑，特別是如果相關(guān)技術(shù)具有軍事用途，或者如果涉及到中國航天科技集團。”記者未能聯(lián)系上中國航天科技集團。

The increased sharing by Russia and China of technology with possible military applications is unlikely to please Washington. A report last year by the US Congress’ US-China Economic Security and Review Commission said the export of Russian aerospace technology to China was “challenging US air superiority and posing problems for US, allied, and partner assets in the region”.

俄中在具有潛在軍事用途的技術(shù)方面擴大共享合作，不太可能令華盛頓高興。美國國會下屬的美中經(jīng)濟與安全審查委員會(US-China Economic and Security Review Commission)去年發(fā)布的一份報告稱，俄羅斯向中國出口航空航天技術(shù)正在“挑戰(zhàn)美國的空中優(yōu)勢，給地區(qū)的美國、盟國和伙伴國資產(chǎn)帶來問題”。

Igor Arbuzov, Energomash’s director-general told the FT that a remaining obstacle to a sale was that China had not formally joined the Missile Technology Control Regime, a global non-proliferation agreement. China applied to join the MTCR in 2004 but has not yet been admitted.

動力機械科研生產(chǎn)聯(lián)合體總經(jīng)理伊戈爾•阿爾布佐夫(Igor Arbuzov)對英國《金融時報》表示，對華出售RD-180仍存在的一個障礙是，中國尚未正式加入全球不擴散協(xié)議“導彈及其技術(shù)控制制度”(MTCR)。中國已于2004年申請加入該制度，但尚未獲準進入。

Chad Ohlandt, senior engineer at Rand, said while the RD-180 was decades old, its “oxidiser-rich” engine was still more efficient for lifting satellites than anything China currently manufactures. The RD-180 is three times more powerful than China’s most advanced engine, the YF-100, used in the newest generation of Long March rockets, he said.

蘭德公司高級工程師查德•奧蘭特(Chad Ohlandt)表示，盡管RD-180已經(jīng)有幾十年歷史，但其“富氧”發(fā)動機在發(fā)射衛(wèi)星的效率上仍然優(yōu)于中國目前制造的任何發(fā)動機。他表示，RD-180的推力是中國最先進的YF-100火箭發(fā)動機的三倍，后者被用于最新一代長征(Long March)火箭。

The RD-180 would help China speed up the development of its own launch systems. “It costs Russia very little to share 40-year-old technology,” Mr Ohlandt said. Mr Arbuzov said in an interview with Izvestia, the Moscow newspaper, last week that China does not want to buy finished engines, but rather acquire or license the technology.

RD-180將幫助中國加速發(fā)展自己的發(fā)射系統(tǒng)。奧蘭特表示：“對俄羅斯而言，分享40年前的技術(shù)成本非常低。”動力機械科研生產(chǎn)聯(lián)合體的阿爾布佐夫上周在接受莫斯科《消息報》(Izvestia)采訪時表示，中國不想購買成品發(fā)動機，而是希望獲得技術(shù)或技術(shù)許可。

However, the negotiations have raised Russian fears that their technology may wind up in the hands of a proven competitor. Russia unofficially halted aircraft sales to China in 2004 because of fears of theft, after China copied Russian aircraft such as the SU-27 fighter bomber, producing the J-11b which competes with Russian aircraft in global markets.

然而，這些談判已引起俄方擔心他們的技術(shù)可能落到一個已證實的對手手中。因擔心技術(shù)被竊取，俄羅斯在2004年非正式停止向中國出售飛機，此前中國曾復制蘇-27(SU-27)戰(zhàn)斗轟炸機等俄羅斯飛機，然后用仿制的殲-11B(J-11B)與俄羅斯飛機在全球市場上競爭。

“The Russians understand that what the Chinese ultimately want to do is put them out of rocket engine business,” said Rick Fisher, a missile technology expert at the International Assessment and Strategy Center in Washington.

華盛頓國際戰(zhàn)略和評估中心(International Strategy and Assessment Center)的導彈技術(shù)專家里克•費舍爾(Rick Fisher)表示：“俄羅斯人明白，中國最終想做的就是在火箭發(fā)動機業(yè)務(wù)領(lǐng)域把他們排擠出局。”

Sales were revived after Russia’s occupation of Crimea to lessen the impact of international sanctions. Russia now supplies China with the Su-35, its most advanced fighter aircraft, and the S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

俄羅斯在吞并克里米亞后恢復了對華軍售，以減輕國際制裁的影響。俄羅斯現(xiàn)在向中國提供其最先進的戰(zhàn)斗機蘇-35(Su-35)，以及S-400地對空導彈系統(tǒng)。

Mr Arbuzov said that concerns about technology transfers were eased by an agreement on trade in aerospace technologies, signed by both countries and ratified by Russia’s parliament in November.

阿爾布佐夫表示，兩國簽署、并在去年11月由俄羅斯議會批準的一份航空航天技術(shù)貿(mào)易協(xié)議，緩解了俄羅斯對于技術(shù)轉(zhuǎn)讓的擔憂。