*sneakily sneaks in to post a sneaky post. Sneakily*
I'd increase the speed of the Aten, give it VSlash beams front and AAA beams aft, use Crazy Glue to get a FLAK or AAA beam on the underbelly and look with huge pitiful eyes at Command to put at least a bit of armor on it instead of wet tissue paper that the poor ship has been issued. (At least, on Medium, where you have lots and lots of fun trying to not get the ship blown up/ accidentally blow up/ accidentally on purpose blow up an Aten Class in jury rigged random missions)
Or I'd get the Boadicea in as Aten. (even though I have heard people overhere descibe it as a turd, a caramel pudding and something you want to use as a ball for a game of Colossus Baseball/tennis/pinball)
*rushes out incase of beam cannons or lunch-hungry shivans*