Delta Flyer - Necessary?

[Neo]

In 'Drone', Paris complained of having to use small shuttles. This was an obvious foreshadowing of the DF. But was the DF really necessary?
They built it out of necessity to retrieve their multispacial probe in 'Extreme Risk'. Couldn't they have simply modified one of their existing shuttles?

I know it was built as a flashy new addition to the Voyager fleet and as a marketing ploy but in terms of the setting was it needed?

I'm torn over this issue. They could've gotten away with their existing shuttles but the DF was very useful.

 

[peachy]

i'm sure they could have just used one of their existing shuttles
as you say neo, but it wouldn't have looked half as cool
...peachy

 

[Dave]

It was Janeway's way of keeping Paris occupied, and therefore out of trouble. Notice how this was a sort of turning point. Afterwards, much less holodeck addiction, or rule breaking, he even gets hitched and becomes a father, so I think it worked.

 

[Neo]

Or he got bored.....

Or the writers could not be bothered to do anything