ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the use of navies in situations short of war, one must not forget that their anticipated role in war can have important consequences for diplomacy in peace and that diplomatic effect may require credibility in such roles and thus investment in war-fighting capabilities that do not always appear to be designed primarily as diplomatic tools. An analysis of military and academic writing on this subject and an examination of current and historic practice does suggest that navies have some general strengths when used in support of diplomacy, and also some limitations. Presence, now defined as 'forward presence', remains a core capability of the US Navy, despite concerns that reducing hull numbers make global presence more difficult. The importance of naval diplomacy is reflected in the theory and practice of other navies as well. The Dutch, for example, identify 'showing the flag', 'naval diplomacy' and 'maritime capability building' as different forms of 'maritime assistance to diplomacy'.
