What unique role does this ship occupy that justifies its cost? It's a light fighter, roughly on par with the Gladius in terms of thrust and weaponry, but it costs as much as a Warden.

Vanduul ships are priced to reflect their relative rarity; the Blade is cheaper than the Scythe as it is a less advanced design (fewer overall components) but it is not something a ship company would price to compete with something like an Aurora.