I took out all of the turrets and blew open the cargo holds but could not destroy it or board it, which would be an even better option.
Would be nice to be able to commandeer it 
You now have experienced SSP (Sentinel Starship Protection). The “police” can come back after fixing armament (time factor?).
Hello Games originally planned for No Man’s Sky to include “repair” starships that would fix damaged faction freighters. Sentinel drones now have repair sentinels. But that’s just planetside.
Maybe similar repair starships will eventually be added and able to repair damaged Sentinel starships. Folks who lust for combat surely would like that added challenge.
Adding those repair starships to faction freighter fleets would serve that same goal too. That would give squadrons more of a challenge.
But for us lovers of solo exploration, peace & quiet, I’d hope that any such addition works be affected by the game’s threat settings.
P. S. I now have added that suggestion at HG Zendesk.
https://hellogames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=194549&mobile_site=true
Amen to that!
Also, if they do add repair ships, I want one too, to auto-repair any of my frigates that need it. ;`)
Is that a custom front end?
Nah, that’s been around since forever.
That is like the Ferrari of freighters. Very nice looking.
I need one…
Wow. Just wow!
Nice. I like the contrast plus blue accents (that serve as spot color).
Oh! What a beauty! Congrats! 
Still wonderful to watch.
I was wondering… can you blow up any freighter now, or just the sentinels?
I haven’t tested, but I think it’s the same… You can destroy cargo and get resources, but not destroy the freighter.
Somehow this makes me feel like I’m looking at the box art of some 80ies shmup…
… found an interesting comparison of base stats for the new Sentinel Interceptor Cannon and other (non-Living) starships with Photon Cannon.
Summary: The interceptor cannon fires faster and longer (longer heat time) but does less damage “per.”
source: A comment in the below post…