It might look like something out of a Marvel comic but this flying jeep is close to becoming a reality.
According to insiders at the military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the first model of this futuristic vehicle will be ready at the end of next year.
It is designed to be capable of driving across the roughest terrain like a jeep, sustain gun fire and take off and land at the flick of a switch.
The US Army hopes that the "flying Humvee" will carry four personnel plus equipment, take off and land vertically, be flown more than 250 miles on a tank of gas, and be operated without pilot training.
Aerospace companies Lockheed Martin and AAI Corporation have presented "feasible designs" to the military's Transformer TX program, and have advanced to the next phase - beginning work on prototypes.
Although no contracts have yet been awarded to take the project to the next level, AAI spokesman Sharn Corna said: "It is my understanding that DARPA intends to proceed with us."
The first model of the "flying Humvee" is expected at the end of next year.
If DARPA then move forward with the project, the new Humvee could take to the skies as soon as 2015.


据英国《每日邮报》10月27日报道，图片里的东西看起来像是出自漫威漫画，但这种飞行吉普也许很快将成为现实。
据美国国防先进项目研究局（DARPA）的内部人士说，这种未来汽车的第一款车型将于明年年底准备就绪。

这款车可像吉普一样穿越最险恶的地形，同时可以抵御枪击，轻触开关还能起飞降落。

美军希望这款"飞行悍马"能够搭载四名士兵外加装备，可以垂直起降，一箱燃料的飞行距离超过250英里，即使未经训练的普通士兵也可以操控。

洛克希德-马丁和AAI公司已经向美国军方的"变形金刚TX"计划递交"可行性设计"，目前，研发工作已经进入下一个阶段，开始研制飞行军车原型。

AAI公司的发言人沙恩·科纳表示，尽管第二阶段研发工程的合约尚未签订，"但我们认为DARPA有意与我们继续合作。"

"飞行悍马"的第一款车型预计明年年底将会出炉。
如果DARPA继续推进这一项目，新的悍马最快将于2015年飞上蓝天。

• marvel [´mɑ:vəl] n.令人惊异的事；奇迹 (初中英语单词)
• advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)
• research [ri´sə:tʃ] n.&vi.调查；探究；研究 (初中英语单词)
• agency [´eidʒənsi] n.代理商；机构；代理 (初中英语单词)
• capable [´keipəbəl] a.有能力；能干的 (初中英语单词)
• sustain [sə´stein] vt.支撑；蒙受；确认 (初中英语单词)
• equipment [i´kwipmənt] n.装备，设备 (初中英语单词)
• corporation [,kɔ:pə´reiʃən] n.社团；法人；公司 (初中英语单词)
• program [´prəugræm] n.说明v.为...安排节目 (初中英语单词)
• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)
• project [prə´dʒekt, ´prɔdʒekt] v.设计；投掷 n.计划 (初中英语单词)
• vehicle [´vi:ikəl] n.车辆；媒介物 (英语四级单词)
• personnel [,pə:sə´nel] n人事(部门)；全体人员 (英语六级单词)
• spokesman [´spəuksmən] n.发言人 (英语六级单词)