What 'role' are the NPC interdictors playing?

[Ralph Vargr]

To make life a bit more dangerous, seems to be the main role. Particularly if you are a pure trader or explorer.

They have succeeded all too well.

My explorer is now parked.

 

[Scharmers]

They are playing the role of the marching aliens in Space Invaders. Fodder for pewpew.

This. They're target practice, something to shoot at. They may make the occasional demand or whatnot, but it's all nonsense, and blowing them up simply returns them to the RNG cloud from which they came.