Corvette

The corvette is traditionally the smallest class of warship, a holdover from the maritime navies of planetbound civilizations such as Earth.
Corvettes favor speed and maneuverability over armor and shields. Due to their limited firepower, corvettes operate in packs or as picket ships in major fleet actions. However, given how a single Nightwatch-class or Rocinante-class corvette can overpower entire squadrons of lower-tech enemies, the Federation is content to use such assets as patrol craft and first-responders.
Uniquely among the rated spacecraft, corvettes are frequently used in suborbital fire support roles alongside strike craft, due to the limited collateral damage/friendly fire potential of their weapons.