maneuverability 復習

防衛省が開発を進めている国産ステルス実証機のX2が初飛行を行い、無事成功しました。

Test flight of Japan's stealth aircraft prototype

Japan's Defense Ministry has successfully completed a test flight of a domestically-produced stealth aircraft prototype.

The X2 departed on its maiden flight from an airport in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, at 8:50 AM on Friday. The test flight follows several test runs on the ground.

The experimental plane's airframe and engines were domestically developed. The shapes of its wings and fuselage are designed to evade radar detection. Designers have also introduced new technologies to improve maneuverability.

The ministry has been trying to determine the technological challenges in producing a stealth jet.

It began developing the prototype model in 2009 at a cost of 39.4 billion yen, or about 360 million dollars.

The aircraft landed at an Air Self-Defense Force base in Gifu Prefecture after a 20-minute flight.

The test flight is the first for a domestically-produced SDF aircraft in 6 years. The last such flight was conducted for the C2 transport aircraft.

It's also the first test flight in 21 years of a small jet built with the purpose of developing combat aircraft, following that of the F2 fighter jet.

The United States has already deployed its own F22 stealth fighters in combat, and Russia and China are also developing the technology.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160422_12/

今回取り上げる表現は、”maneuverability”です。Weblioには、「操縦性；運動性能」という意味が載っていました（cf. agility）。

The Free Dictionary.comには “A controlled change in movement or direction of a moving vehicle or vessel, as in the flight path of an aircraft.”と定義されていました。

ちなみに、この名詞の形容詞は”maneuvarable”ですが、意味は「〈乗り物などが〉移動[操作]しやすい」という意味だそうです（『ウィズダム英和辞典』第３版、三省堂）。

防衛省は今後もステルス機開発を進め、将来的には国産の戦闘機を作ることも検討しているようです。（Blue Sky）