Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
In SAFe's Continuous Delivery Pipeline, the practice of separating deployment from release allows organizations to:
* Deploy code to production-like environments frequently
* Test features safely in production without exposing them to end users
* Use techniques like feature toggles, dark launches, canary releases
* Release to customers when business conditions are right
This means the main benefit is that it enables testing in a production environment, even before the actual release.
(Source: Scaled Agile Framework - Release on Demand)

SAFe draws from Kotter's model and describes the dual operating system:
"Organize the Enterprise around the flow of value while maintaining the hierarchies... This dual system leverages stability and speed."

The workbook details that optimizing flow is heavily dependent on:
"Most problems with your process will surface as delays... Reducing delays is the fastest way to reduce time- to-market." Thus, identifying and eliminating delays is the critical activity when optimizing flow.
Source: Workbook, Page 2-11

The SAFe workbook explicitly describes how ART events form a feedback-driven cycle:
"ART events, such as PI Planning, Iteration Planning, Reviews, and Retrospectives form a plan-do-check- adjust (PDCA) learning cycle." This continuous improvement cycle enables adaptation and learning throughout the ART's execution.
Reference: SAFe Workbook, PI Planning Module