The most expensive weapons serve as deterrents by projecting power globally.

Evidence

Ships function as deterrents, too. Above: Capital “ships of the line” were the most expensive and powerful weapons of their day. Out of reach to all but the richest nations, these ships projected power to the farthest reaches of the globe. Below: Nimitz-class aircraft carriers function in this same capacity today. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 967

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the book’s running theme of expensive, exaggerated weapons serving as signals/deterrents rather than purely practical tools. — connects to: Modern naval weapons cost billions and thus only wealthy nations can field them — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 396; Deterrence amplifies the evolutionary payoff of extreme weapon size. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 387; Costly advanced weapons deter rivals just like large animal weapons — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 592 (+1 more)

Related

• Costly advanced weapons deter rivals just like large animal weapons (similarity 0.90)
• Weapons primarily deter rivals rather than inflict harm in actual fights (similarity 0.86)
• Weapon evolution and deterrence form a self-accelerating spiral. (similarity 0.83)
• Modern naval weapons cost billions and thus only wealthy nations can field them (similarity 0.83)
• Low-cost bioweapons manufacture destroys the logic of deterrence (similarity 0.83)
• Warship-building cost restrictions turned fleet size into deterrent signals. (similarity 0.82)
• Deterrence amplifies the evolutionary payoff of extreme weapon size. (similarity 0.82)
• Cheap weapons can disable the most expensive military technologies (similarity 0.81)
• Cheapening nuclear weapons is eroding the precondition for deterrence (similarity 0.80)
• Dominant weapons become obsolete when their intended fights never occur (similarity 0.80)
• Weapons work primarily as deterrents that prevent fights rather than win them (similarity 0.80)
• Nuclear weapons grew cheaper as they proliferated, undermining deterrence (similarity 0.80)
• Cheap asymmetric weapons can topple vastly more expensive military investments. (similarity 0.79)
• Weapon growth widens the gap between the best- and worst-armed males. (similarity 0.79)
• Expensive war-fleet dominance deterred conflict and produced relative peace (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Costly advanced weapons deter rivals just like large animal weapons #corroborates (0.75) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 592
• Deterrence amplifies the evolutionary payoff of extreme weapon size. #corroborates (0.70) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 387
• Weapons work primarily as deterrents that prevent fights rather than win them #expands (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 966