Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:55:50-2:59:22

The Type XXI faced a 1945 anti-submarine system

Mass-producing Type XXI submarines would also meet mass-produced late-war frigates, radar, snorkel detectors, ASDIC, mortars, and depth charges.

Anti-Submarine WarfareAsdicBay Class FrigatesBlack Swan Class SloopsCastle Class CorvettesConvoysLoch Class FrigatesType XXI U-Boat
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Question

What if Germany had mass-produced Type XXI U-boats?

Short answer

They would still face mature 1945 Allied ASW systems and large numbers of specialized frigates concentrated around the convoys they had to attack.

Notes

The Type XXI's ability to operate underwater for longer would have been a much larger advantage in 1939 than in 1945. By the time it appeared, Allied forces were producing Loch- and Bay-class frigates alongside Castle-class corvettes and Black Swan sloops. Improved ASDIC, radar searches for snorkels, mortars, and depth charges formed the opposing detection-and-attack system. A snorkeling submarine still had detectable signatures, and an attacking boat had to approach the convoy and its escorts. Convoy escorts could defend that concentration of merchant shipping while separate hunter-killer groups searched or reinforced routes identified by intelligence.