A new type of transparent armor made of aluminum could one day replace glass in military vehicles.
在不久的将来，新型的
铝制透明装甲将取代目前应用于军用车辆的
玻璃制品。
The product is called aluminum oxynitride. It is being tested by the Army and the University of Dayton Research Institute in Ohio.
该产品名为氧氮化铝，其已通过俄亥俄州代顿大学研究所的测试。
The material is a ceramic compound with a high compressive strength and durability, according to an Army statement issued this week. It performs better than the multilayered glass products currently in use, and its about half the weight. It is virtually scratch-resistant.
据悉，该原料是一种复合
陶瓷产品，拥有高
压缩强度和
耐久性。其性能优于目前正在使用的多层
玻璃制品，且重量仅为多层玻璃制品的一半。此外，其还具备很高的抗划性。
Glass is still used in the new process, being sandwhiched between an outer layer of the polished aluminum oxynitride and a polymer backing.
但玻璃至今还应用于新的设计之中，其主要夹于氧氮化铝所制外层及聚合体垫料之间。
.50-caliber test
.50口径子弹穿透测试
In a test this summer, the product held up to a .50-caliber sniper's rifle with amor-piercing bullets. Traditional glass armor did not survive the test.
在试验中，该产品能阻挡狙击步枪.50口径子弹的射入。传统的玻璃则不能成功通过此项测试。
Officials hope the product will prove even more useful when considering more severe threats, such as explosives.
官员们希望该产品在经历爆炸类的严重威胁时能起到更好的效果。
"The higher the threat, the more savings you're going to get," La Monica said. "With glass, to get the protection against higher threats, you have to keep building layers upon layers. But with [the new product], the material only needs to be increased a few millimeters."
La Monica表示，“袭击越危险，该产品安全系数更高。在遭遇威胁的时候，建筑的玻璃厚度需要不断增加。但是如果使用此类新型产品，该原料只需要增厚几毫米。”
"Achieving protection at lighter weights will allow the armor to be more easily integrated into vehicles," said Ron Hoffman, a researcher at University of Dayton Research Institute.
代顿大学研究所研究员Ron Hoffman表示，重量更轻的原料更容易应用于车辆之中。
Cost vs. Durability
成本和
耐用性的对比
Time, blowing sand and other environmental factors degrade glass surfaces. The aluminum material is expected to retain its clarity for much longer.
时间、风沙及其他环境因素将消磨玻璃表层。铝原料则能更长时间的保持它的
透明度。
The military is considering installing the aluminum windows on Humvees and low-flying, slower aircraft like the the C-130 Hercules.
军事部
门在拟定新计划，考虑在军用悍马车以及像C-130大力神运输机这样低空飞行、速度较慢的飞机上安置
铝型材窗户。
The holdup for now is price.
目前首要解决的是其价格问题。
Traditional transparent armor costs less than $4 per square inch. The aluminum oxynitride is now at least $10 per square inch. That price would come down with mass production. And the material's longevity would make it cost less than the initial price tag would indicate.
传统的透明装甲每平方英寸价格低于4美元，但氧氮化铝目前每平方英寸要花费至少10美元。此价格只能在大量生产的时候会有所降低。由于使用寿命长，从长远来看，该材料的应用将实现更多资金节省。
"It might cost more in the beginning, but it is going to cost less in the long run because you are going to have to replace it less," La Monica said.
La Monica表示，在最初投产期产品成本可能较高。但是从长远来看，产品成本将逐渐降低。
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