QUIC Vans (Guest Post)

At the onset of the Cold War few USN ships had built-in cryptologic capability. Although the Navy’s cryptologic efforts contributed significantly to the successful conclusion of World War II, SIGINT remained a highly secret business, conducted for the most part from shore locations throughout the world.

As the Cold War progressed, new adversaries emerged and some previously used shore sites, such as those in China, were forced to close as politics changed. Increasing use of higher frequencies (VHF/UHF) and developments in radar technology mandated development of closer-in intercept capabilities. This was a mission tailor-made for the Navy, who already had a seaborne and airborne maritime patrol capability.