What category would you guys put these in....I was thinking either a light escort type or maybe an upgunned scout minus a warp drive or at most a rudimentary type.
Well, there are lots of ways you could go, I think. My preference would probably be Light Frigate, Fast Frigate, or Light Cruiser, but an Escort might do the trick, too. I'd stick in a warp engine for power, but only low-grade nacelles since the ship should rarely, if ever, need to attain warp speeds. Slap in some good sensors and reasonable weapons, and you're good to go. And don't forget a few Luxury quarters for ferrying those bigwigs to view the outer planets and facilities.
Hmmmmm I was envisioning a class similiar in purpose to the modern day OPV or fast attack boats, I would think that a class belonging to the light/fast frigate and light cruiser would be too big. I suppose I could remove the warp drive and build a more extensive sensor/weapons suite. I guess being navy tends to make one think a certain way.