Less visible but increasingly essential in today’s geopolitical environment is the upgrading of the encryption systems used by the Hellenic Armed Forces — especially the Hellenic Navy — as highlighted during the latest KYSEA meeting.

It was not only the modernization of the MEKO frigates and the acquisition of two Italian Bergamini frigates that were approved during the latest session chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, but also the purchase and installation of 17 Link 22 systems on Greek warships, strengthening Greece against what is often described as the “war of codes.”

The transition to more advanced encryption systems includes the procurement of 17 LLC-7M encryption devices, 17 Link 22 systems, and classified GSM communications equipment, all of which will be installed on Hellenic Navy vessels.

At a time of heightened regional tension, the Link 22 system — a surface-to-air tactical data exchange network — is designed not only to replace the outdated Link 11 but also to meet the modern telecommunications needs of naval ships and aircraft.

The “Zimmermann Telegram”

Their acquisition requires two separate interstate agreements: one with the U.S. government for the LLC-7M systems, and one with the French government for 17 Link 22 software licenses. The system is currently used by seven NATO countries: Canada, France, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy. In practice, Link 22 represents the upper limits of NATO’s digital interoperability.

Approval for the legal process was granted earlier this month by the Special Parliamentary Committee on Armament Programs and Contracts, as technological developments continue accelerating, with global powers investing heavily in technological dominance.

The central challenge for even the most advanced militaries remains the protection of strategic information and the ability to decrypt enemy communications — something deeply rooted in Greek history.

Long before Link 22, there was the ancient Spartan “scytale,” an encryption system in which a strip wrapped around a rod could only be read correctly when matched with another rod of identical dimensions.

Centuries passed, warfare intensified, and the need to conceal information became especially critical during World War I. Morse wireless communication emerged as one of the era’s major technological revolutions, making handwritten information transmission obsolete by the early 20th century.

Focused heavily on communications, the Germans developed the handwritten cipher system ADFGVX, which they considered unbreakable. It was a mobile field cipher introduced on June 1, 1918, on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.

Confident that it could not be deciphered, Germany relied on it before its final offensive. However, French captain Jean Painvin succeeded in cracking the code, helping save Paris from the German advance in 1918.

A similar role was played by cryptographic intelligence across the Atlantic during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. Wilson, a proponent of liberal internationalism, sought to preserve world peace through neutrality.

Germany, however, pursued a different strategy. Through Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann, Berlin sought to end World War I in its favor before potential U.S. involvement. Germany planned to ally with Mexico and encourage it to invade the American South.

Zimmermann also intended to persuade Mexico’s president to encourage Japan to attack the U.S. West Coast while Germany launched attacks from the east.

The ambitious Zimmermann plan involved three stages: Berlin would send an encrypted message to the German ambassador in Washington, who would relay it to the German ambassador in Mexico, who would then deliver it to the Mexican president.

However, the Germans transmitted the message through Sweden and via a cable connected to American interests, allowing the British to intercept it.

The “Enigma”

London did not want Germany to realize how advanced British codebreaking efforts had become. As a result, Britain sent an altered version of the message to Mexico, and a British agent ensured it was later obtained and published in London, influencing American public opinion regarding the war.

Historically, the most famous encryption machine was the Nazi-created “Enigma,” which resembled a typewriter and became the primary communications tool of Nazi Germany’s military branches. It was developed by German inventor Arthur Scherbius.

The Enigma machine used a keyboard connected to rotating rotors. Each keystroke altered the electrical circuit, illuminating a different letter on a lampboard. This mechanism created billions of combinations, leading the Nazis to believe the system was impossible to break.

And Turing

Until Alan Turing — British mathematician and father of computer science — succeeded in breaking Enigma.

It is no coincidence that Turing was also among the first to recognize the potential development of artificial intelligence through what later became known as the Turing Test.

Enigma was ultimately broken because researchers exploited its Achilles’ heel: a letter could never encrypt as itself.

The remarkably successful analytical assumptions used by Turing — and much earlier by Michael Ventris in deciphering Linear B — reflected the inventive spirit of the 20th century.

The Allies’ success in reading both the German Enigma machine and the Japanese “Purple” cipher accelerated the end of World War II by two years. Since then, however, cryptographic systems have evolved dramatically.

In the 21st century, encryption systems transmit not only messages and audio but also live images, enabling real-time operational intelligence sharing across the globe. It is no secret that encryption is a major focus for China, which has invested heavily in quantum cryptography.

Quantum computers are expected to break current encryption keys in minimal time, while technology giants such as Google are preparing for post-quantum cryptographic readiness by 2029. Earlier, Beijing launched the quantum satellite Micius — named after an ancient Chinese philosopher — which, according to the BBC, demonstrated that “a space-based network is feasible,” potentially creating virtually unbreakable communications systems.

As a result, developing countermeasures through post-quantum cryptography has become urgent for the West and NATO. This involves creating new cryptographic algorithms capable of protecting allied networks against large-scale attacks, including attacks targeting systems such as Link 22.

Beyond military and research applications, such algorithms are already being used by Apple and the Signal app, while European governments and financial institutions are also moving toward similar technologies.