Last Merlin Leaves Afghanistan

The final Merlin helicopter has left Afghanistan, two months after the aircraft's deployment finished. Sixteen technicians worked to remove prepare the Merlin for the journey home, removing its rotors so it could fit inside a C-17 transporter plane. The fleet clocked up 18,500 flying hours, moved 7,900 tonnes of cargo and carried 130,000 troops during the two years it operated in Afghanistan.