It was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 June 1917 as SM UB-48.
[Note 1] The submarine conducted nine patrols and sank 35 ships during the war for a total loss of 107,795 gross register tons (GRT) and one destroyer.
[2] UB-48 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916 and built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg.
[3] Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-48 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun.
UB-48 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,090 nautical miles (16,830 km; 10,460 mi).