If this is to be a RP server as advertised, consider reviewing the requirements for factions, SRP, and unique ships so people can get to playing the way they want to play - especially in terms of time requirements.
Staff are still the judges - vetted players can be too - it doesn't mean there needs to be a compromise on quality just because someone isn't a 6 month to 1+ year vet. If the technerf system is here to stay (though relaxing/removing it may alleviate these problems), this at least gives players a chance to demonstrate they've given some thought to their proposed unorthodox combinations and that they're still RP-driven.
Requiring one year of documented roleplay for unique ships appears highly prohibitive/discouraging for new players. Yes, it's a great privilege/requires considerable work (maybe beyond swapping engines/powercores), but at least knowing your ship has been queued up for the next update before the storyline has progressed and you've gone through several grades of school/jobs/had a kid/misc life events can be motivating, help players feel they're a part of the community, and can make some change.
Include a clear provision - "exceptions may be made for what is deemed to be exceptional RP". Staff may say, "Of course, it goes without saying and it's our way of filtering out the non-serious RPers," but that's presumptuous when players are inundated with rules from the get-go, see others being sanctioned (often with a lot of vitriol), and feel there is a lack of dialogue with staff.
Consider fast-tracking for players who have already made factions/approved SRP and then request unique ships. Giving a Spec Op ID + something approximate and tangible for players to fly while awaiting their unique ship can be a good holdover.
Application fees can be a very big forum-based money sink that arguably transcends any purchasable equipment in-game, isn't just bling/fluff, and requires no major tweaks to the game itself before the eventual ship/faction.
