The Prowler-class reconnaissance vessel, a spy starship commissioned by the New Republic, was manufactured by the Republic Engineering Corporation under the auspices of the New Class Modernization Program.
Although the Prowler-class shared design elements with the Ferret-class, it was outfitted with a reduced quantity of stealth technology and hardware. The purpose of these ships was to accumulate intelligence regarding enemy resources and locations over extended durations, maintaining a safe distance, while still taking advantage of the Ferret-class's baffled engine and chemical propulsion systems.
In comparison to the Ferret-class, the Prowler-class was armed with a greater number of missiles, and also included a decoy system. A crew of six was necessary for its operation.
Vessels belonging to this class were assigned alphanumeric identifiers, such as 5P8.