[Baron Munchausen]

You missed the most obvious ideas for carriers!

• Give them inherent cargo ability so they can carry more fighters. Isn't that the point of a 'carrier' -- that it's designed to carry fighters? Explicit cargo modules just enhance the already intrinsic cargo storage.
  
  Give them inherent fighter launch ability. Again, isn't that what carriers are designed to do? Having at least some intrinsic ability to launch fighters lets you get a larger total launch ability, or cram more 'support' equipment into the hull while still getting a decent level of performance in the ship's main mission.