+1 to most of what Burial has been posting.
Also, have we considered creating a factor for modifying locktime between bot classes(maybe based on surface area.. or some other attribute)?
I might be reading into the intentions behind the patch and some of the other discussion, but if you want to make light and assaults more viable on the battlefield: why not make them harder to lock onto?
Yes this is right out of Eve but it works really well at giving smaller bots to land hits/lay down ewar before getting popped.
It could be a modifier on current locktime so two bots of the same class (or srf. area, or mass, or ...) will have F=1.0 to each-other. Whereas lets say a small ewar bot against some heavy mech might have F=0.5, and the H.Mech will only have F=1.5. With both locktimes at 10s, the light bot could lock the heavy with 10s before the heavy locks back. Keep in mind this is in addition to range, extensions that modify locktime directly, etc. etc.
(This being the extreme ends of the spectrum.)
What this helps with is fleet composition variety and encourages even squads that are mostly mechs to also include the smaller tacklers, ewar, and counter-small bot assaults. This exists to some degree, but the solution of patching up lights and assaults with more armor or range, etc, makes them perhaps more powerful singularly than their class was intended. Nerfing others down to match doesn't make sense. So maybe the solution is a game mechanic or bot attribute that levels this out between classes.
With faster lock times, light bots are guaranteed (under 1:1 circumstances) to land 'hits' against larger bot classes.
Yes, this too can grow into a whole set of modules and extensions. Improve your locktime, lock-modifier, ability for others to lock you, ability to lock others etc. etc. You get the idea.
As for affecting PVE, I don't see it being an issue. If anything it makes the player want to fit an equivalently sized bot for the assignment to maximize speed and turnaround time (Adding risk! and Excitement! Oh Ah!). And makes grinding with mechs slower (oh no, potential whining, oh noo), but no less effective (Whining averted! Huzzah!)
TL;DR
Modifier on Lock-time based (mostly) on bot class differentials.