4月16日，專注於科技、國防與國家安全報道的資深記者大衛·金斯（David Jeans）在《福布斯》發表文章指出，矽谷軍用無人機公司對“中國製造”的高度依賴，已成為美國軍方難以迴避的棘手難題。
近年來，美國軍方加緊部署大量軍用無人機，為可能爆發的衝突做準備。
然而問題隨之而來：他們發現手中的無人機在許多關鍵零部件上依賴“中國製造”。這不僅是供應鏈的難題，更演變成關乎國家安全的戰略掣肘。
Pentagon leaders are calling for thousands of drones to prepare for war in the Pacific. But as Trump's tariffs escalate tensions with China, they face an uncomfortable reality: Silicon Valley's drone companies are addicted to Chinese components.
China currently controls close to 90 percent of the global commercial drone market, and manufactures most of the key hardware used to build them – airframes, batteries, radios, cameras and screens.
就連上個月，美國副總統萬斯在弗吉尼亞州參加海軍陸戰隊無人機演示時，被拍到戴的也是一副中國產的無人機顯示護目鏡。
美國副總統萬斯在參觀海軍陸戰隊基地時，戴著中國製造的Skyzone裝置。圖源：AFP via Getty Images
美國國家安全專家喬希·斯坦曼（Josh Steinman）表示，擺脫中國零件是一個不可避免的痛苦的過程：“你遲早得撕下創可貼，要麼你主動撕，要麼中國來撕。”
"You are going to have to pull the bandaid off at some point," said Josh Steinman, who previously oversaw supply chain security at the National Security Council. "And either you are going to choose or China will."
The primary on-ramp to drone contracts is the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which maintains a so-called Blue List of drones that are approved for military use.
這份“藍名單”每年更新一次，由六名員工負責稽核。他們要測試上百款產品，確保其中沒有任何《國防授權法案》（National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA）所禁止的中國零部件，比如攝像頭、飛控系統、無線電裝置和地面控制系統——這些大多是負責訊號傳輸的關鍵部件。
然而，一些無人機制造商表示，這項稽核機制已經成為行業發展的一個瓶頸。今年，超過300家企業提交了申請，但只有23家獲得批准。BRINC公司戰略與發展負責人安德魯·科特（Andrew Cote）表示：“被中國製裁可比進入藍名單容易。”
Some drone manufacturers say it has become another bottleneck that stifles the industry. This year, just 23 companies were approved out of more than 300 submissions."It's easier to get sanctioned by China than it is to get on the Blue List," said Andrew Cote, BRINC's head of strategy and growth.
Military leaders, national security experts and the drone industry all seem to agree on one thing: building a China-free supply of drones relies on expelling DJI from the US."Until DJI is entirely banned, there's not enough market to stand up a US industrial base," said Nathan Ecelbarger, chairman of the US National Drone Association, which aims to speed up military adoption of drones.
但美國似乎難以在短時間內停止對大疆的依賴。去年12月，國會不得不在相關法案中刪除了對大疆產品的禁令。
大疆總部位於深圳，是全球最大的無人機制造商之一，也是美國警方和農場最主要的無人機供應商。
編輯：左卓
見習編輯：裴禧盈
來源：福布斯
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