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November 24, 2000

The British Royal Navy has sent one of their new Merlin Mark-1 helicopters to sea on HMS Lancaster, two years before that type of helicopter will be deployed operationally. The purpose of the brief deployment is to assemble data on handling, maintenance, and operations that will allow the RN to develop tactics and maintenance plans for the eventual deployment. Because the Merlin has an advanced datalink to the ship, it gives the ship a better grasp of what is going on around it.--Stephen V Cole