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The Obama administration calculates it is likely North Korea may test-fire mobile ballistic missiles at any time, based on the most recent intelligence showing Pyongyang probably has completed launch preparations, a U.S. official said recently. |
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一名美國官員在不久前指出,歐巴馬政府估計北韓可能隨時會試射機動彈道飛彈,因為最近的情報顯示平壤可能已經完成發射準備。 |
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The administration believes a test launch could happen without North Korea issuing a standard notice to commercial aviation and maritime shipping warning them to stay away from the missile's path, according to the official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the information. |
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該位官員表示,美國政府認為北韓試射飛彈可能不會依照慣例發布通知,以警告商用飛機與海運船隻避開飛彈路徑,他因此資訊敏感性而不願具名。 |
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He cautioned most of the information comes from satellite imagery, so it's impossible to reach a definitive conclusion because the United States has no means to gather information on the ground. |
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他也提醒道,大部分的資訊都來自衛星影像,因此不可能得出確切的結論,原因是美國無法從現場蒐集情報。 |
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"We hope they issue a notification, but at this point we don't expect it. |
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We are working on the assumption they won't," the official said. |
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「我們希望他們發布通知,但目前我們並不預期他們會這麼做。我們現在的假設是他們不會這麼做,」該位官員表示。 |
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He said the launch could be "imminent," but also cautioned that the United States "simply doesn't know." |
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他說試射行動可能「迫在眉睫」,但也提醒指出,美國「完全無法確知」。 |
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The official, along with a Pentagon official, said that the United States has been able to keep satellites over the suspected launch area for most of the past week. |
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該位官員與一名五角大廈的官員指出,美國在上週大部分時間得以讓衛星保持在可能發射飛彈的地區上空。 |
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The United States thinks the missiles remain at a point about halfway down the eastern coast of North Korea and are about 10 miles inland. |
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美國認為,目前飛彈仍然位於北韓東岸中部左右,在內陸約十英里處。 |
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Imagery has been impeded by some bad weather, which means there is less than perfect knowledge about what is happening on the ground. |
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But based on what the United States has seen, the belief is that the missiles have received their liquid fuel and are ready for launch. |
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影像遭到惡劣天氣妨礙,也就是說我們對於地面上的實際情形完全無法有明確的瞭解。不過,根據美國見到的狀況,目前相信飛彈已經裝填了液態燃料,隨時能夠發射。 |
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After any launch, U.S. satellites and radars in the region would be able to calculate the trajectory of missiles within minutes and quickly conclude whether they are on a test path headed for open ocean or potentially headed for land areas such as Japan. |
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一旦有飛彈發射,位於該地區的美國衛星與雷達能夠在幾分鐘內計算出飛彈的軌道,並且迅速得出結論,確認那些飛彈是沿試射路徑射往開放海域,還是有可能射向陸地區域,例如日本。 |
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The United States and Japan would then have to decide whether to try to shoot the missiles down, the officials said. |
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然後,美國與日本就必須決定是否該設法攔截飛彈,官員指出。 |