I think it would be cool to have R&D feature in a campaign. Maybe by spending campaign points the Imperials could unlock new ship types like the TIE Defender, TIE Phantom, or Interdictor. The Imps could spend the points and say they were researching the new hull on a particular planet. If the rebels attacked that planet before the research was complete they could disrupt it, but they would have to face the Interdictor or prototype TIEs in addition to the normal fleet defending that world. What do you think? Would something like this work? Maybe with a longer campaign?

I think it sounds interesting, especially given the fact that rebels tend to be constantly doing that. It may work, but it may be tricky to play out.

For example:

1) Do the imperials openly announce what planet they are developing a secret weapon on, or do you introduce spies to the game (do they already exists? I thought I read a mention of them. . .)?

2) Do the rebels develop secret weapons (I believe that in the legends the MC-class of starships were developed underwater in Mon Cala. Whilst non-canon, I do believe that it should be an ability, since the rebels didn't have any shipyards to build their massive ships until they had enough of said ships to manage to fight for and take them.)?

3) What is developed? Can the imps only unlock a -II class of ship or an interceptor/advanced in this way, as technically IIs are advanced versions of Is, and advanced are, as their name suggests, advanced?

4) If the planet is attacked and development disrupted, do the projects (which, as you say, should join the battle) suffer anything from not being technically finished (less attack die, less health, one less experimental retrofit (to a minimum of 0), less speed/maneuverability)?

I definitely like the idea, and if you don't mind, I'd like to add it to a custom campaign of mine.

Edit: edited for layout issues

"Armada" would really be the wrong scale for this. R&D on new fighter technology, nevermind design of new ships, tends to be decades-long affairs. In which time, commanders would have come and gone, ships would have come and gone, etc.

"Rebellion" is really more the game you want to be looking at if modelling something like that.

At the "Armada" scale, the questions any campaign immediately above that would face are going to be more along the lines of 'how is the supply situation to my fleet' and 'are we rotating forces into and out of combat effectively enough' and 'are replacement parts and crew properly integrating into the fleet' and etc.

"Armada" would really be the wrong scale for this. R&D on new fighter technology, nevermind design of new ships, tends to be decades-long affairs. In which time, commanders would have come and gone, ships would have come and gone, etc.

"Rebellion" is really more the game you want to be looking at if modelling something like that.

At the "Armada" scale, the questions any campaign immediately above that would face are going to be more along the lines of 'how is the supply situation to my fleet' and 'are we rotating forces into and out of combat effectively enough' and 'are replacement parts and crew properly integrating into the fleet' and etc.

Empire at War does a really good tech tree over at short period of time.

Alternatively if the speed of development would be a bother think of it as prestige you've earned unlocks access to the better tech. After all surely they're going to give an untried commander a Raider not an ISD?

Indeed, I actually like all those aspects of a campaign (supply, replacements, refit, economy, etc), and wouldn't mind adding them to a campaign either. Say, each turn lasts a few months to a year, and officers can be promoted to admirals (though their abilities would have to change or remain only for one ship) to keep a pool of admirals available (or look up some really obscure non-canon ones), add in taxation, public support/happiness, and whatnot. Like EaW, or like a total war game. Granted, this probably wouldn't be fun for most people, but it's the kind of stuff I like.

In terms of strictly for a campaign such as CC, I do not know how long the campaign lasts, in terms of in-game time, but surely some aspect can be added. Maybe you can do R&D for certain upgrades, or to represent the training of officers?

I like it as a target for something in an integrated campaign.

I agree with xanderf that R&D is something that would not have particular import for Armada, unless it was a high-tech refit facility, uniquely capable of refitting Interdictors with experimental upgrades, or something like that.