Why early warning still matters against cloaked ships

Is early warning irrelevant in space because ships are thermally obvious and cloaked attackers cannot be detected?

No. Combat near planets and installations creates constrained approaches, while close-range tripwires can narrow even a cloaked ship's route.

The objection assumes space is empty, targets are thermally obvious, and cloaks defeat forward patrols. The reply places likely fights near planets, moons, asteroids, and installations, where geometry and sensor horizons create approach routes and clutter. A cloak may also become less effective as a sensor closes the distance, so nearby patrols can constrain an attacker's route even without perfect detection. Disposable sensors and fighters therefore become tripwires rather than an impenetrable screen. The Falklands War supplies the warning against designing only for ideal open-ocean conditions, especially when BC-304s often deploy alone against near-peer threats.