The heavy mount of Light Carriers isn't so much of an asset (if memory serves, it deals 12.5% more damage per kt than the Large Mount, but is bigger and can be more easily damaged), but the hull itself is sturdy enough: compared to a Light Cruiser, it has 420 more hitpoints, all the cargo you will ever need, but is slightly more expensive and lacks the 10% defence bonus of the Light Cruiser.
Light Carriers also make impressive minelayers due to their high basic cargo space: you can focus on the minelayers components themselves, since your fighter bays can carry 42 small mines already. Add the Stealth Armour, and you have a nice vessel able to lay twenty mines a turn or so, while carrying 60 and able to avoid detection. Of course, the problem is to avoid running into enemy minefields... but that's what scouts are for, or fighters.
