PRESS RELEASE (94)57                      11 July 1994


NATO NATIONS TO COLLABORATE ON A SUBMARINE RESCUE SYSTEM


     Specialists from seven NATO nations (Canada,
France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom
and the United States) will meet at NATO Headquarters,
Brussels, Belgium on 15th July to start development of
a NATO Submarine Rescue System. 

     Current submarine rescue relies on three different
systems operated by Italy, the United Kingdom and the
United States. All of these systems will come to the end
of their service life in or around the year 2000/2005. 
The target date for a replacement system is 2003.

     The initial step in the development of a new
submarine rescue system was completed in 1992 when a
Pre-Feasibility Study was carried out by industries from
NATO countries.  As a result of this Study the nations
agreed that they need a new, common system and to
undertake a more detailed Feasibility Study.

     Although the prime user or beneficiary of the new
submarine rescue system, when fully operational, will be
NATO navies who operate the system, other navies will be
able to call on the system as well.  There is also
potential civilian application;  for example, companies
operating deep diving vehicles and submersibles might
have access to the system, on a cost recovery basis.