That's the problem clearly. He was too smart to be Admiral, these are the same people who made Riker an admiral and sacked Kirk from the job.
That's the only solution: There is a maximum IQ level for an admiral in ST. It would explain alot
Back to stock fighters I must admit my current favourite use for them: Mobile ablative armour. Vast screens of dirt cheap small fighters forming mobile armour around my cap ships. Ridiculoulsly impractical, almost pointless and it does require several systems building nothing but fighters. Still if you can't muck around in stock what can you do?
