Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Enter the J1/6G Patrol Corvette for "near abroad" security patrols and border protection.They also make some sense for a multi-star/multi-world system in which the companion stars are fairly widely separated. SDBs and other system defenders/monitors patrol locally and close to their assigned defense points. Patrol Cruisers/Corvettes can Jump between the stellar subsystems quicker than M-drives can maneuver there and carry communiques, escort, and have some combat capability. And they patrol/scout/picket the entire star system.
And any system that has a far companion, even if its local system is not inhabited, will need to patrol it to keep it from being used as a muster point for invasion and/or raiders and piracy.
Increase fuel capacity and life support consumables reserves to enhance patrol endurance between replenishment cycles.