[ZeroAdunn]

Well, I currently play a mod with similar ideas to this (though, it isn't as in depth as I want, so maybe your mod will be better)

First off: To encourage carrier use I made resource production far lower then normal SEIV, but cranked storage, then I made fighters slightly cheaper to build, while making ships much more expensive. I made two types of point defense, interceptor cannons for targetting just missiles/drones, and interceptor missiles that target any unit but are smaller and do less damage then regular missiles. Fighter defense is generally handled VIA a mount, the point defense mount that reduces size and range of weapons, but keeps damage the same. Then there are the "slugger mounts" which are standard ship to ship mounts, while they increase the damage (not on par with SEIV standard mounts, but increase them enough) they increase the cost exponentially.

Drones are similar to SEIV drones except they are half the size and have a mount that reduces component/weapon cost and size by one half. Makes them much more valuable.

I use leaky shields, but not leaky armor. Leaky shields are more easily penetrated by fighter weapons as all weapons fire as one for a group of fighters.

Fighter hulls have a combat movement bonus, however, I am currently modding fighters as follows:
Two components,
Standard fighter engines: 1kt, 1movement (plus bonus for high tech) 5 per fighter, must have 1. At most a fighter will have 8 system/4 combat.
Fighter Thrusters: 4kt, 6 combat movement (at max), one per ship.
Fighter hulls: small 6kt, medium 10kt, heavy 14kt. Weapons will range from 1kt (small guns) to 2kt (heavy weapons/missiles), fighters will only need cockpit (1kt), but can have a life support system that provides additional supplies (1kt). And then of course sensors. So a medim fighter could have:
1 Engine 1kt
1 thruster 4kt
1 cockpit 1kt
1 combat sensor 1k
1 ECM 1kt
1 heavy weapon or two light weapons.
(Short range fighter/bomber)

5 engine 5kt
1 cockpit 1kt
1 Combat sensor 1kt
1 life support 1kt
1 heavy weapon 2k
(long range bomber, or fighter if you replace the heavy weapon with a light weapon)

One question: Does anybody know for sure if the Combat Best Experience ability works for fighters. I had planed to use it on fighters to simulate the experience or training of a ships pilots, but don't know if it works.

I would also suggest using a proportions style economy, I use a watered down Version (way more watered down then I would like) and I think it works well.