Alavian Class Deep Space Scouts are the smallest and most numerous Human survey vessels currently in Deep Space Exploration Group service. They were originally designed to serve as support ships for the larger classes of modern Human Deep Space Explorers. They have served this mission admirably and are now also being used as independent vessels. As with other Deep Space Scout designs, ambulance ship and patrol ship variants of the Alavian Class have been produced. They have proven too small to serve as light tugs. Although capable of carrying two small shuttles, most Alavian Class starships use the space allocated to them for cargo instead. Originally outfitted with four weapons alcoves, many Alavian Class vessels have been retrofitted to reclaim one or more of these spaces for other purposes.