Military team sent to UK to evaluate helicopters 'other' than troubled Cyclones

The Harper government may be ready to throw in the towel on the purchase of long-delayed CH-148 Cyclone helicopters and has gone as far as sending a military team to Britain to evaluate other aircraft.

Defence sources say the team, which included an officer from the air force directorate of air requirements branch, visited a southern base in the United Kingdom recently to look at Royal Navy HM-1 Merlin helicopters.

A spokeswoman for Public Works Minister Diane Findley confirmed the government is looking at options “other” than the troubled Cyclones, which are years behind schedule and billions of dollars over-budget.

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