The CV-44 block 2 and block 3 were originally designed as specialty fast cargo rockets for the Kuiper expansion era. However, Temper and Cole Interplanetary (TCI) either grossly misaligned their marketing strategy or failed to anticipate the innovations that their customers would eventually incorporate. Civilizations, nation states and corporations all over the solar system coveted the highly configurable spaceframe chassis, especially the internal payload fairings and ludicrous power and thermal budget, intended for powered cargo. As soon as the block 3 began deliveries, users began installing elaborate and power-hungry electronic and signals collection systems, effectively turning the specialty cargo ship into a intelligence collection platform.

This gave rise to the "thresher" in the outer solar system. A thresher is specialized spacecraft that conducts diplomatic missions with clear and obvious intention to collect sensitive data. It is an advertised spy ship, intent on persuasion, treaty compliance and if needed, subterfuge.

With the oft spoken system-wide Cold War ongoing, only the most remote of Oort Cloud settlements maintain any semblance of privacy and secrecy. War in space would be detrimental to any and all parties. The economic ramifications of a hot, destructive war could severely disrupt humanity as a whole. Therefore, conflict in the Sol System remains an elaborate and varied game of economics, policy and posturing. This is why threshers exist, to ebb the alliances and policies of other parties in the solar system. The agency that denies a thresher flight would be immediately scrutinized by the system as a whole.

Note: It’s akin to a modern day Open Skies aircraft. Growing up I was always fascinated by profile charts depicting aircraft in their various liveries, hence the inspiration for these colorful spacecraft.