Submarines gain much of their wartime value from concealment, which protects them and leaves an opponent uncertain about their position. Peacetime presence requires visibility, so the same design principle works against a public display of naval power. Stealth aircraft face a related problem: an overflight may be visible, but their protection depends on staying outside an opponent's effective range. The comparison separates combat effectiveness from the ability to make a visible diplomatic signal. A platform can be formidable in war while remaining awkward to use for peacetime presence.
Notable Point · 9:12-9:48
Why stealth complicates peacetime naval signaling
Submarines and stealth aircraft show why a platform built to avoid detection has difficulty displaying presence in peacetime.