Factions can ask to get new shiplines added and stuff...but can any faction ask for a few ships of their shipline to be removed and not replaced? Just a quick question.
I will add that it depends on the ships and faction that you are talking about. If a faction wanted to do this, I suggest that they post the idea/request for community feedback and then direct a developer like mjolnir towards the thread.
Proud member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"