Comparing the Mamba to the Krait Mk II I'm not sure that the Mamba has the room for a fighter bay. The center fuselage looks small.
Anyway ask Zorgon Peterson as they have yet to make a military fighter equipped ship. Also maybe the Mamba description is why..."Based on an unreleased racing prototype, the Mamba is one of the fastest ships in production...". That is true for the fastest medium size ship. Smaller ships are faster but with much less firepower. My heavily engineered combat Mamba with engineered military grade composite can still do 590 m/s boost. Imagine what it could do lighter. In my opinion, "We don't need no stinkin' fighter bays" in a Mamba with a good pilot. It will fly rings around a slower and less maneuverable Krait Mk II and fast enough to take out fighters. The slower the enemy such as an Anaconda with a fighter the more advantage using a combat Mamba against them.
The Krait Mk II more resembles a light Python from Faulcon DeLacy who made the fighter bay for the Anaconda. Meanwhile players have asked for a fighter bay on the Python for years! Maybe the Krait Mk II was the answer. It also added three pilot seats which seem to be overkill. But maybe the Devs were thinking multi-player with a cheaper rebuy when some jerk gets the Captain in trouble. Note that the Fer de Lance might have included a fighter bay but it was so restricted just getting a combat ship setup with limited optional internal slots. Trading shields for a fighter bay would not be wise. Besides in past Elite games the Fer de Lance was a luxury boat for VIPs. Go figure.
No fighter bays (one of many}
Zorgon Peterson
Hauler
Adder
Fer de Lance
Mamba
With fighter bays
Core Dynamics
Federal Corvette (Class 5-7)
Federal Gunship (Class 5-6)
Faulcon DeLacy
Anaconda (Class 5-7)
Krait MkII (Class 5-6)
Gutamaya
Imperial Cutter (Class 5-7)
Lakon Spaceways
Alliance Crusader (Class 5-6)
Keelback (Class 5)
Type-9 Heavy (Class 5-7)
Type-10 Defender (Class 5-7)
Saud Kruger
Beluga Liner (Class 5-6]
