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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jasper Jolly

Live and let fly: James Bond helicopter firm awaits UK decision on £1bn deal

Leonardo Merlin helicopter in Skyfall
The James Bond film Skyfall featured a Leonardo Merlin helicopter – now owned by Canada’s air force – prominently in its final scenes. Photograph: Simon Pryor/Leonardo

The Merlin helicopter sitting on a factory floor in Yeovil is a familiar sight to James Bond aficionados: it featured in the climactic shootout of the 2012 film, Skyfall.

Workers at the Somerset factory are upgrading the aircraft for the Canadian air force, a lucrative source of income for its owner, Italian state-backed weapons maker Leonardo.

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