提起美国总统的专机,人们总会想到赫赫有名的空军一号(Air Force One)。相比之下,把总统从白宫送到大型喷气机空军一号舷梯旁的海军陆战队一号直升机的名气就差多了。可事实上,总统乘坐它的次数比空军一号要多得多。我们一起来看看总统一段短暂的行程吧。
美式发音 适合精听
The President is on the move. The President is always on the move. Wherever the Commander-in-Chief needs to travel, a Marine Corps helicopter is always standing by.
Next destination for the President and1)HMX-1: New York City. The President is coming to town for the United Nations General Assembly. The trip is an aerial relay race. First leg: Marine One will carry the President to Andrews Air Force Base. Air Force One will fly him to New York’s Kennedy Airport. The last leg: another Marine One lift from JFK to downtown.
Three days before the mission, a Marine advance team hits the pad at the Wall Street 2)Heliport. Across town from the Wall Street helipad, a full-scale military landing is underway. The U.S. Marines are setting up a 3)beachhead at John F. Kennedy International Airport. For the next 96 hours this secluded corner of one of the world’s busiest transit hubs will be transformed into a high-security military base.
At 10:24, right on time, the presidential white-tops appear on the horizon. One “helo” heads straight for the landing pads (of the White House).
Marine One is not a single specific aircraft but an exclusive presidential 4)call sign. Only after the President steps aboard does this 5)VH-3 become Marine One. The white-top turns towards the southeast. Next stop, Andrews Air Force Base. In the sky above Washington, two identical helicopters join the President’s white-top in an aerial dance of deception, a security tactic called “the shell game.” Wherever HMX-1 flies the President, doubles shadow Marine One’s every move, a protective 6)smokescreen to 7)disguise which aircraft carries the man. Only the Marines know which of these green and white look-alikes transports the Commander-in-Chief.
At Andrews Air Force Base, the world’s most recognizable plane stands ready for takeoff. Flight time 45 minutes; next stop New York City.
Four point eight miles south of the UN at the Wall Street Heliport, Air Force One begins final approach. The pieces of the puzzle come together seamlessly. The President of the United States is in the hands of Colonel Raymond LaRue. The lift is underway: JFK to Wall Street in under 10 minutes.
At the Wall Street Heliport the pad is clear. The “helos” of HMX appear on the horizon. Now is the time for “8)Frenchy” and his team to earn their stripes.
Col. LaRue: When we get there, Wall Street Pad is already 9)clobbered with aircraft[s]. We’ve gotta get in there and we’ve got a very small space that we have to land in. You only get one shot at it. It’s a zero fail mission and that’s why we rehearse everything so that on game day we make it seamless.
Touchdown: the latest in a 51-year string of perfect landings. Once again the Marines of HMX have delivered. This is the job of Marine One, a military mission that never ends.
总统行动了。总统总是马不停蹄。每当这位最高统帅需要出门,总会有一架海军陆战队的直升飞机待命。
总统和HMX-1的下一个目的地是纽约市,总统要到那里参加联合国大会。这次旅程是一场空中接力赛。第一段行程:海军陆战队一号直升机将总统送往安德鲁空军基地;空军一号再将他送到纽约的肯尼迪机场;最后一段行程:另一架陆战队一号直升机将他从肯尼迪机场送到市中心。
执行飞行任务的三天前,海军陆战队的一个先遣队来到华尔街直升机场的停机坪。在纽约市的另一边,远离华尔街直升机场的地方,一次不折不扣的军事降落正在进行当中。美国海军陆战队在肯尼迪国际机场设置一个先遣警戒区。在接下来的96小时里,这个世界上繁忙程度名列前茅的交通枢纽僻静的一角将变为一个高安保级别的军事基地。
10:24,分秒不差,总统的白顶直升机出现在地平线上,一架直升机直接飞向白宫的降落垫。
海军陆战队一号不是某一架特定的直升机,而是专属的总统无线电代号。唯有在总统登机后,他乘坐的直升机才成为海军陆战队一号。这架白顶直升机转向东南方,下一站是安德鲁空军基地。在华府的上空,两架一模一样的直升机和总统的白顶直升机会合,进行空中欺敌之术。这是一种叫“骗局”的安保战术。无论HMX-1把总统送到哪里,两架替身亦步亦趋追随陆战队一号。这是保障总统安全的障眼法,其目的是掩饰总统的真实座机。只有陆战队员们才知道,这些一模一样的绿身白顶直升机中哪一架载的是他们的最高统帅。
在安德鲁空军基地,全球最为人们所熟知的飞机随时准备起飞。飞行时间:45分钟;下一站:纽约市。
华尔街直升机场位于联合国总部以南4.8英里处,这时,空军一号开始了它最后一段行程,整个旅程衔接得天衣无缝。这时,美国总统的命运在雷蒙德·拉吕上校的手上,他们开始了又一次空中之旅。从肯尼迪机场到华尔街的航程还不到十分钟。
在华尔街的直升机场,停机坪虚位以待。HMX直升机出现在地平线上,现在正是“法国佬”和他的团队证明实力的时候了。
拉吕上校:我们到的时候,华尔街停机坪早就挤满了直升机。但我们必须降落。虽然可供我们降落的空间小得不得了,但你只有一次机会,这是一次不允许失败的任务,所以我们之前全程演练。这样等大日子一到,所有行动才会衔接得天衣无缝。
着陆:连续51年完美降落的最新纪录。HMX的海军陆战队员再度完成使命。这就是陆战队一号的工作,一项永无止境的军事任务。 
