Hello fellow Travellers;
What about the Type T Patrol Cruiser?
It is fast & well armed enough to do the job & it can be produced in large numbers & as it is a TL12 design, it should be able to do the job just fine...
Plus, in T20 with its ability to carry 25.8 tons it could carry 2 10 ton fighters to protect itself & fitting it with a fuel purifier it could hide in a Gas Giant & gain valuable intelligence about a system, without having to risk your own main battle fleet. Plus, you could use Type Ss to relay the information to the main fleet.
Btw, since most (at least 50% of Gas Giants are not near the main world) reacting to a Jump in or out would not be possible, this may be another use for the Type T. Also, you can jump to any point in a system correct? Then why not to the Gas Giant & just use it to cover yourself & spend the time to recon the area? Plus, I am sure if you were a Fleet Commander in the 3I, Intel that is a week old would be something you would love to have...