France, Norway, Britain, and Turkey have issued a joint contract to an international group to design and build a new generation of submarine rescue systems. This design will be compatible with almost all NATO submarines and many foreign submarines. It will, for example, be able to dock with most Russian submarines. The US is already at work building its own new submarine rescue system, and the US contractor (Hard Suits) is a part of the team building the European design. The new rescue subs will be available in 2005.--Stephen V Cole