Why wouldn't that be the case?
Because it was not the case until recently. After Aurora lost its large missile in 0.7.2, we had...
* Apogee. The "ship where the large missile hardpoint is randomly 45 degrees to the left of the centerline".
* Astral. It is a carrier! It should focus on fighters first.
* Conquest. Main guns are broadsides, but the missiles point forward. Effectively another off by 45 degrees.
* Gryphon. Glass cannon, brawling at optimal range for Hammers and Reapers will get it killed. (Maybe not now.)
* Legion XIV. Was a non-renewable resource before historian came a few releases ago.
* Odyssey. Cannot aim all three large turrets at the same target.
* Radiant. Cannot pilot it until Neural Link came in 0.95.1.
That leaves Champion, and that was a recent addition. It is basically a more sluggish version of pre-0.7.2 Aurora, with less speed, less flux, but with ballistics, High Energy Focus, large energy, and the large missiles.
There are plenty of options to use Locusts, Squalls, and MIRVs. But the ships that can use Hammer Barrage and Cyclone Reaper effectively are few.