Yes, the experience gain seems a bit out of hand. Also, it seems to actually accelerate, or at least not slow down, as ships seem to gain hitpoints even faster as time goes on. Some kind of logarithmic curve would be a better fit.

I think the HP going up is sort of simulating a "Scotty" type guy/group of guys in the engine room keeping everything together while the ship keeps taking hits, also moving the HP up is the same as reducing the effectiveness of the opponents weapons, ie the bridge crew manuvering the ship so it isnt taking hits dead on or in vulnerable areas.

I like this feature alot. I've seen more than a few thread requesting some sort of hero system. Well this experience system does create heroic units. The only thing that's missing is some sort of portrait for the pilot or captain.

I think the high HP is a nice bonus without being overpowering. An experienced pilot should be able to shoot down unexperienced pilots flying similar platforms easier. I figured the extra HP wasn't representing the platforms ability to take more damage but the pilot's ability to avoid more damage than an average pilot. In this sense I do feel it adds more realism. An experience fighter pilot should be able to cripple a battleship or maybe even defeat an unexperience battleship crew.

In my last campaign I had a fighter I built toward the beginning of the game for exploration. He survived every battle he faught in and toward the end of the war after a couple upgrades to his fighter he was an amazing little unit. I renamed him Char Aznable. The "Red Comet" Led ever major offensive strike in that campaign. I say this is not an overpowering system because he wasn't invincible. I had units of compareable experience but sadly that didn't survive till the end of the war. My fleets pride and joy the battleship "Argama", which was similarly experience, was shot down in a failed expedition to invade the Drengin Homeworld.