ANSWERS: Mystery Questions of the Week: 9/11/2011

Impetus for this week's questions come from the near sinking on 23 August 2011 of Australia's HMAS Farncomb. Background may be found here:

Q & A

1- The RAN SUBSAFE document notes that most submarine mishaps are caused by some form of human error. What estimated range (percentages) of human-error caused mishaps is given? ANS: 70 - 80%.

2- RAN SUBSAFE mentions (see pdf document) loss of USS THRESHER in 1963, as bringing submarine safety into focus in a tragic way. Six additional submarine mishaps are cited by submarine name. Three of the 6 relate to U.S. subs. What are the names and hull numbers of the other 3 U.S. subs? ANS: USS Bonefish (SSN-582), USS GUITARRO (SSN-665), and USS SEAWOLF (SSN-21).

3- What are the nationalities and names of the 3 non-U.S. subs cited? ANS: Peruvian sub BAP PACACHO, the UK sub HMS UPHOLDER, and the Dutch sub HNLMS WALRUS .

4- The document credits which U.S. service (branch and specialty) with improving its Operational Risk Management (ORM) safety record from worst to best among the four U.S. military services 'in three short years'? ANS: The U.S. Army Aviation Corps improved its safety record out of the four services from worst to best in three short years.

Submarines are always silent and strange.