林源
By Lin Yuan
据外媒报道，近日，美国国会参议院和众议院先后通过各自版本的2023财年国防预算草案。两份国防预算草案均要求大幅增加技术研发和装备采购等经费，预算金额创下历史新高。
According to foreign media reports, the US Senate and House of Representatives have recently passed their respective versions of the fiscal 2023 defense budget draft. Both have requested a substantial increase in funding for technology R&D and equipment procurement, etc.
6月22日，美国国会众议院军事委员会投票通过一项提议，即在美国总统拜登提出的7730亿美元国防预算基础上增加370亿美元。在此之前，美国国会参议院军事委员会批准2023财年增拨国防预算450亿美元。美国国会参众两院将在相关会议上决定最终预算金额，但无论如何，至少8100亿美元的国防预算将创下历史新高。
On June 22, the House Armed Services Committee voted for a proposal to add US$37 billion to the US$773 billion defense budget proposed by US President Joe Biden. Prior to this, the House Armed Services Committee had approved an additional defense budget of US$45 billion for the Fiscal Year 2023. The US Senate and House of Representatives will decide the final budget amount in relevant sessions, but in any case, the defense budget of at least US$810 billion will hit a record high.
据悉，美军在2023财年将着重加快部署高超音速武器、建立关键弹药储备、强化网络作战能力和加强重点军事技术研发。
It is reported that in the fiscal year 2023, the US military will focus on accelerating the deployment of hypersonic weapons, establishing key ammunition reserves, as well as strengthening cyber combat capabilities and key military technology R&D.
在新冠肺炎疫情持续蔓延、经济形势严峻的背景下，美国国会却通过高额国防预算草案。拜登表示，要有充足资金确保美军是世界上装备最好的军队。美国国防部长奥斯汀称，国防预算反映美国国家安全战略，能够帮助美国有效应对未来挑战，使美国维持全球领导者地位。美国国会参议院军事委员会主席杰克•里德认为，增拨450亿美元军费是为冲抵“失控的通货膨胀”。然而美国《纽约时报》却指出，遇事必起争执的民主、共和两党议员如今争相为天价军费站台，目的是为实现“军工复合体”中政客和军火商的利益共享。
Against the backdrop of the constant spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe economic situation, the US Congress passed a defense budget draft of a high amount. Biden said that it’s crucial to provide sufficient funds to ensure that the US military maintains the best-equipped troops in the world. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin said that the defense budget is a reflection of the US national security strategy and can help the US effectively handle future challenges and maintain its position as a global leader. Senator Jack Reed, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) believed that the additional US$45 billion allocated by the US Congress to the Armed Forces will offset “runaway inflation”. However, the New York Times pointed out that the US Democrats and Republican congressmen, who are bound to fall into disputes whenever coming to decide an issue, are now vying to stand for the sky-high budget of military spending in order to share benefits by politicians and defense contractors in the military-industrial complex.
根据美国国会预算办公室的预测，未来10年，美国将在军事领域花费约8.5万亿美元，超过其他非军事领域预算总额5000亿美元。美国媒体报道称，加大对新武器和海外基地的资金投入，不能弥补美国在尖端科研、基建和贸易政策等领域的失败。军费预算持续增加，美国公民却越来越缺乏安全感。
According to projections by the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the US will spend about US$8.5 trillion in the military sector over the next 10 years, exceeding the total budget of the non-military sectors by US$500 billion. The US media reported that increasing funding for new weapons and overseas bases cannot make up for America’s failures in cutting-edge scientific research, infrastructure, and trade policy. As military budgets continue to increase, American citizens feel increasingly insecure.
美国智库战略与国际问题研究中心名誉主席科德斯曼曾表示：“国防预算是战略决心，并非购物账单”。从美国国防预算的投入重点来看，美军未来军力发展呈两大趋势。
Anthony H. Cordesman, Emeritus Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), once said that the defense budget is a symbol of strategic determination, instead of a shopping bill. From the perspective of the investment focuses of the US defense budget, there are two major trends shown for the future development of the US military.
一方面，瞄准“大国竞争”。美国国会参众两院的国防预算草案，均要求划拨60多亿美元支持亚太地区盟国，40亿美元支持欧洲盟国。其中，亚太地区经费投入主要用于加强地区军事存在，深化与盟友的合作，在亚洲打造基地和部署武器。欧洲地区经费投入主要用于对外军援，为波罗的海安全倡议提供支持，及制定战略和资源保障计划，使美军能够适应东欧多变的安全环境。
On the one hand, it aims at “major power competition.” The defense budget drafts of the US Senate and House of Representatives both call for more than US$6 billion to support the US allies in the Asia-Pacific region and US$4 billion to support its allies in Europe. Among others, the funding invested in the Asia-Pacific region is mainly for enhancing the US military presence in the region, deepening cooperation with allies, and building bases and deploying weapons in Asia. While the funding in Europe is mainly to aid foreign militaries, support the Baltic Sea Security Initiative, and formulate strategies and resource assurance plans to enable the US military to adapt to the ever-changing security situation in Eastern Europe.
另一方面，聚焦前沿科技。技术研发经费在美国2023财年国防预算草案中占据主要份额，这表明美军依旧将“技术制胜”奉为圭臬。在国会同意增加2023财年国防预算的同时，美国国防部常务副部长希克斯签署“人工智能战略和实施途径”文件，明确美国国防部将制定实施人工智能基本战略。美军对人工智能、大数据、云计算、无人自主等技术的实践运用将持续深入，并谋求以此推动军队建设发展。
On the other hand, it focuses on the development of cutting-edge technology. The technology R&D funds account for a major share of the US defense budget draft for the Fiscal Year 2023, indicating that the US military still upholds the principle of “technology-centered competitiveness to win”. Along with the approval of the defense budget increase for the Fiscal Year 2023, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen H.Hicks signed out the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Implementation Pathway, which has made it clear that the US Department of Defense will develop a basic strategy for the implementation of artificial intelligence. The US military will continue to deepen the practical application of technologies including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and unmanned autonomy, and meanwhile seek to promote the development of its military construction.
