Well, like I said, my first intent was to replace an import, but too many people are attached to the current bulldog, and I want a ship specific to my gallic junkers =P
So, if I can get this thing added at all, it will almost certainly be an entirely new ship.
But yeah. The other thing you could possibly propose would be to have it replace the Gitano as nobody in their right mind flies that thing. Keep the ship count down and people are more agreeable.