Effects on U-Boat Performance of Intelligence from Decryption of Allied Communication

Abstract

Examination of the War Diary of the German ComSubs has made it possible to estimate the character and extent of intelligence obtained by the decryption of Allied radio messages pertaining to convoy operations in the North Atlantic during World War II, and to determine the effect of such intelligence on the capability of the U-Boats to contact convoys and sink ships. It is estimated that the availability of timely usable decryption intelligence increased the contact rate twofold over that which they would have obtained without it; probably over 60 sinkings in excess of the expected number if they had been deprived of decryption intelligence. These calculations help in estimating a valid measure of the effectiveness of current and future submarines in anti-convoy operations when decryption intelligence is not available.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 28, 1954
Accession Number
AD0784966

Entities

People

  • Carl E. Behrens

Organizations

  • Chief of Naval Operations

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Antisubmarine Warfare
  • Availability
  • Boats
  • International Relations
  • Merchant Vessels
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Vessels (Combatant)
  • Naval Warfare
  • Patrol Aircraft
  • Personality
  • Second World War
  • Ships
  • Submarines
  • Test And Evaluation
  • War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Geospatial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence Analytics
  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies