My take on fighters:
IN MY OPINION:
I think fighters should have their own building system, where 1 ship block can be divided into 5x5 fighter parts, where you can use a variety of parts to build a fighter blueprint, which can be printed in a factory (More on that later)
Some of the base parts:
(x,y)
Cockpit: 5x6, holds pilot etc, if cockpit destroyed, fighter explodes, et etc.
Generator: makes power for craft, and provides power for engines
Large engine: 5x4 makes most thrust for fighter, uses most energy
Med engine: 3x2 makes medium thrust, decent power usage
Small engine: 1x1 pitiful engine, tiny power usage
Structural part: 1x1, little health
Armour part: 1x1, more health, heavier
RCS: 1x1, not an engine, but can turn craft around like in KSP
Laser: Standard fixed gun, does 1/3 of the ship laser, uses a bit of energy, good for taking out other fighters
Bomb bay: holds 1 bomb, does heavy(ish) damage to ships, when released, bomb flies in direction it was released in until it hits something or despawns. Should only be launched at a distance where PD can shoot at the fighter, however bombs cannot be destroyed once released.
Fighter Flight:
Fighter engines can only be placed facing backwards, so if a fighter needs to change direction it needs to turn around and fire its engines (Using RCS)
Fighters exist on the same plane as everything else, so have to avoid ships
Carriers:
Fighter hangars can hold 1 fighter in a 4x4 space, but must be next to a runway
fighters who have run out of bombs or have been called back land on the runway, then taxi down the hangar length into their hangar for restocking.
Runways come in 3 sizes
small: 16x4 (4 hangars)
large: 24x4 (8 hangars)
Huge: 32x4 (12 hangars)