Visible warships create a deterrence gradient

Fleet composition gives diplomats a visible ladder of conventional deterrence. The American example has few steps between sending one or more Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and deploying a carrier battle group. A proposed nuclear-powered battleship, described as a BBGN, could provide another level of visible force and free carriers for other missions. Russian Kirovs illustrate the attention attracted by a large nuclear-powered ship with many missiles, even though its military usefulness and handicaps remain debatable. The proposed progression runs from a Burke to a battleship, then a battleship with Burkes, a carrier battle group, and potentially both larger groups together. Diplomatic effort combined with visible hard power can offer an opponent successive opportunities to withdraw. These are proposed signalling options, whose usefulness also depends on what a nation is prepared to support and sustain.