Well, we do use what we have to perform counter tactics. *shrugs* If people want to build their ships, let them it is an RP site after all, and waiting five years is not an option. There will always be people trying to one up the other, that is something no one can stop. =\ Quite frankly it helps breed diversity in ship and technology designs, and encourages for more to be made.
If you're asking to have R&D to be more realistic, we're looking at designs being put on hold for months, and even years OOCly as far as IC time flows.