i think that you should be able to include in a fleet the base and frieghter.

but said fleet once made would not be able to be broken and this would do away with the national border that eveyone has been talking about.

the ships assigned to the frieghter stay with it in when it goes mini they go too

the ships assigned to the base would patrol around base out to its peremiter

the ships assigned to the base could be upgraded and replaced if killed or added to as the game progresses

this would give the military base a real reason to be there