Make bases expandable. We should be able to enlarge our bases that are within the borders of a very happy nation at some point.
This is unlikely to happen. The 5x5 base grid, when filled with facilities, makes for a rather large tactical map. A larger grid would make the map too large for comfort. Though there are currently issues with available base space, especially considering the "invalid" tiles that are placed randomly on the grid, the solution to this should lie with removing the need to build many facilities of the same type, rather than increasing the building space.
Make more building types or at least make building improve their techniques and technology to improve their usefullness.
Building upgrades are part of the plan already.
Tabs in the Geoscape that would allow players to assign production and research tasks to base without having to go into the base view of each one. Maybe a list of bases and what is available for research in a drop down menu. This gives more of a commanders view and feel to the player.
We're working on a new interface design that pretty much caters for this.
Expanded radar and base weapons stations. I have read that you can load up one base with radar for world wide coverage but even if this still works I see it as no more then a glitch and very unrealistic. Possible allow bases to use existing Civ radar within their continent once happy or exuberant is status is achieved Maybe implement satellite coverage in some way?
That used to be the case, but no longer. There will, however, be upgrades for the radar facility that increase the coverage.
Allow fighter escorts. If drop ships are attackable then allow fighters to escort them within their range.
There are no plans for this, but it's worth considering. There will be dropships that can defend themselves, though.
Combat air patrol (CAP) As base weapons expand their firepower and range, interceptors would be less involved close to base and would needed to patrol and engage beyond the bases range. Allow them to patrol beyond their bases radar range an use lesser on board systems to watch for UFOs. This also gives a chance that if you see a UFO on the edge of radar coverage for a second then lose him you can send out interceptors to investigate and hopefully reacquire the target. Possible implement an AWACS type craft to extend coverage.
No, that would be awful in terms of gameplay. Too much micromanagement. Note that the scenario you describe where a UFO shows up "for a second" can not happen. A radar facility has two ranges - detection and tracking. The detection range is smaller than the tracking range. If a UFO flies into the detection range, it is spotted. It then stays spotted until it flies out of the tracking range.
Expand the hanger capacities. IMO the drop ship isn't much bigger then a large cargo helo which can carry 20+ troops IRL and can fit 4-6 to a normal hanger once you fold the blades. If base expansion above is used this isn't a huge priority and you can simply build more.
One hangar, one ship. No exceptions.
Make transfer aircraft a true unit. Have it attackable as the drop ships should be. Allow fighter escort as above. Transports should take up a lot of space but be able to carry a lot as well. Transports would need to be housed somewhere with an empty large hanger. The transport could fly to Base X, pick up cargo, transit to the drop off point and return to base. (refueling as needed at base stops) This is assuming the base transporting doesn't house a transport. Drops ships can double at this role but with less storage room.
Sounds like a whole lot of unnecessary micromanagement. I don't see it happening.
Could we see reinforcements used in the future? IE Aliens reinforcing a battle and making Phalanx do the same? Maybe have interceptors race to take out the reinforcements before they land? could be used on crash sights too. Larger maps might help some
Alien reinforcements I think will happen in some scenarioes. PHALANX reinforcement, not really.
