What long-term effect would a modern German fleet sent back to the First World War have on engineering and ship development?
Short answerIt would cause a massive technical leap, but reproduction limits and Imperial Germany's political choices would determine whether that knowledge stabilized or destabilized Europe.
NotesModern sensors, fire control, machinery, materials, and engineering knowledge would cause an enormous technical acceleration. The transferred ships would soon exhaust unique weapons and spares, forcing Germany to reverse engineer systems it could not immediately reproduce. Their extraordinary capability might encourage peace, but it could just as plausibly provoke other powers into a preventive coalition or an accelerated arms race. Modern sailors would also remain subject to their lawful government, and advanced knowledge placed in an earlier ethical and political culture would not automatically create a humane outcome.