<P> Although the F - 35B is fully capable of performing vertical landing, in a similar fashion to the way that the Harrier and Sea Harrier operated, this method of operation places limitations on the loads that the aircraft is capable of returning to the ship with . As a consequence, to avoid the costly disposal at sea of both fuel and munitions, the Royal Navy is developing the Shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) technique for its operation of the Lightning II . SRVL is a hybrid landing technique that uses the Lightning's vectored thrust capability to slow its forward speed to around 70 knots to allow it to make a rolling landing, using its disc brakes, without the need of an arrestor wire . A special type of metallic' thermal paint' is being developed to withstand temperatures of up to 1,500 C in the vicinity of jet nozzles . </P> <P> In December 2016, the British Government announced that it reached an agreement with the United States to allow the deployment of USMC F - 35s from Queen Elizabeth upon the ship's entry into service, with a reciprocal arrangement seeing RAF and FAA aircraft operating from ships of the US Navy . </P> <P> The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium - sized multi-role helicopter . Two versions are in service with the UK armed forces, where it is known as Merlin . The utility version can carry up to twenty - four troops seated or sixteen stretcher patients and the HM2 anti-submarine warfare variant has a dipping sonar and sonar - buoys, and a complete electronic warfare suite . </P> <P> Both versions use a common airframe, with three Rolls - Royce Turbomeca RTM322 engines, their range and endurance using only a two engine cruise option, is 750 nautical miles (1,390 km; 860 mi), or six hours . However, range can be extended further when the five underfloor fuel tanks are supplemented with auxiliary fuel tanks fitted in the cabin . Armament depends on mission, but includes anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, three door - mounted machine guns, multi-purpose rocket, cannon pods, air - to - air missiles and air - to - surface missiles . At least 14 Merlin HM2s will be assigned to the carrier . </P>

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