page_title: Signal Intelligence Regiment (KONA)
section_title: KONA Regiment
hierarchical_section_title: Signal Intelligence Regiment (KONA) / Organization and Functions / KONA Regiment
caption_attribution_description: English: KONA Signal Intelligence Regiment layout
context_page_description: The Signal Intelligence Regiment (KONA) was the basic element of the field organisation of the German Army signal intelligence organization during World War II. The KONA regiment were mobile communication reconnaissance units which were assigned to an Army group and operated close to the front lines within the operational Theatre to intercept and build intelligence, via evaluation services and disseminate the intelligence to senior staff locally and in the OKH/GDNA headquarters in the rear. To quote World War II cryptographic historian, Christos Triantafyllopoulos:
  The KONA units did not have the ability to solve complicated Allied cryptosystems. Instead they focused on exploiting low/mid level ciphers and even in this capacity they were assisted by material sent to them by the central cryptanalytic department. This was the German Army High Command's Inspectorate 7/VI
context_section_description: The purpose of a KONA regiment was to supply intelligence to the Staff (military) of the Army Corps, Armies and Army Groups. Each KONA unit consisted of a Regimental Evaluation centre and possibly 5 or 6 intercept and intelligence companies. The KONA regiment operated with the signal intelligence platoons operating close to the front line, with its companies situated close to army HQ and the main evaluation unit situated in the rear at Army Group Headquarters (abbr. HQ).
  Close Range Signal Intelligence Companies (German: Nachrichten Nahaufklärungskompanie) (abbr.NANAK or NAK) were tasked with intercepting low level traffic. These were evaluated as they came in, with all intelligence passed to Senior Staff of their assigned Army Group as it became available, with all intercepts and immediate reports passed back to an evaluation platoon at company headquarters, for further evaluation.
  Long Range Signal Intelligence Companies (German: Nachrichten Fernaufklärungskompanie) (abbr. NAFAK or FAK) intercepted high level traffic, undertook some immediate evaluation which was passed to Senior Staff, and also passed back reports and intercepts to the regimental Signal Intelligence Evaluation Centre (German: Nachrichten-Aufklaerungs Auswertestelle) (abbr. NAAS).
  In 1944, the Signal Intelligence Battalion (German: :Nachrichten Aufklaerung Abteilung) (Abbr. NAA) was introduced into the organization of the KONA. These battalions were small administrative units, which acted to co-ordinate unit activities at Army level. Major Hertzer, Commanding Officer of KONA 1 stated that the NAA supervisors were generally elderly soldiers, who duty was to gather opinions and make small adjustments in close range signal,  intelligence platoons, i.e. NAZ.  Colonel Boetzel, head of the OKH/GdNA, stated that the NAA was not an effective improvement.
caption: German Army Signal Intelligence Operations Diagram - Based on KONA 1
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