Response from Frank:

So another case of 'Do what we mean and not what we say.'

RAI that is

RAI that is

I don't disagree. But often RAI is because there's more than one possible interpretation so you take the one the dev's intended. But in this case it's hard to argue that what they intended is even close to what they said.

Nothing in the rules that come with the assault carrier even hints at AP being the sole exception to the rules.

But based on Frank's email it is. So that means we'll see each new product released with an expanding list of what upgrades allow for free actions?

You could argue to a point anyway that the rules allow any free action if AP is equipped, RAW anyway it could be logically argued as such. So having RAI state 'no only those upgrades that are equipped on the ship count' makes sense and is completely acceptable.

But saying that AP is the only upgrade that counts is not RAW or even RAI it's 'Rules as we meant them to be writen'.