Ability to rename existing Ship Designs.

Not a bad idea, but rules for retrofitting would need changes.

Probably wouldn't be too big a change. I would bet that the game uses a number rather than a name to reference the ship. This is one reference in the save file:

                    <ShipDesign ShipDesign.Version="1" GUID="2414" Model="208" Revision="1" Hidden="False" Empire="0" Editable="True">
                        <HullReference Reference="HullSmall01Marauder" />
                        <RoleReference Reference="ShipRoleExploration" />
                        <DefaultName>KF_Marauder</DefaultName>
                        <UserName>Sentinel</UserName>
                        <Layout>
                            <Slots Count="11">
                                <Slot Index="0" SlotDefinitionIndex="0" SectionDefinitionIndex="0">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleDefenseHullPlating1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="1" SlotDefinitionIndex="1" SectionDefinitionIndex="0">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleSupportEngine2" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="2" SlotDefinitionIndex="2" SectionDefinitionIndex="0">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleSupportRepair1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="3" SlotDefinitionIndex="3" SectionDefinitionIndex="0">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleWeaponMissile1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="4" SlotDefinitionIndex="0" SectionDefinitionIndex="1">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleDefenseHullPlating1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="5" SlotDefinitionIndex="1" SectionDefinitionIndex="1">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleDefenseShield1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="6" SlotDefinitionIndex="0" SectionDefinitionIndex="2">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleSupportExploration1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="7" SlotDefinitionIndex="0" SectionDefinitionIndex="3">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleWeaponBeam1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="8" SlotDefinitionIndex="0" SectionDefinitionIndex="5">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="9" SlotDefinitionIndex="1" SectionDefinitionIndex="5">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleWeaponBeam1" />
                                </Slot>
                                <Slot Index="10" SlotDefinitionIndex="2" SectionDefinitionIndex="5">
                                    <ModuleReference Reference="ModuleSupportEngine2" />
                                </Slot>
                            </Slots>
                        </Layout>
                        <Medals Count="0" />
                        <HasUnlockPrerequisites>False</HasUnlockPrerequisites>
                        <Tags>
                            <TagsList Count="0" />
                        </Tags>
                    </ShipDesign>

Hmm, well what I was thinking of was retrofit to a different saved design of same hull, totally different line of thought.

We definitely need this for hero ships.

I personally need much more than just that.

-The ability to modify the loadout of ships acquired through quests, trading and etc. Or even the ability to buy other races design blueprints to change and build them.

-The ability to select one of your existing ships and create a design blueprint of it's module layout (for example when you accidentally deleted ship design and can't further upgrade a whole bunch of your ships, an ongoing issue from ES1).

-The ability to reassign already existing ship to another ship design blueprint of the same hull.

Why is this still not a thing?