Unfortunately, this update doesn't fix the biggest issue with the patch. It's nice that people won't be stuck on T2 forever, but the tier system is incredibly flawed here.
The biggest problem is that there are only 15 ships that even matter in this game. That's the final Tier 5 ships for each manufacturer. You've implemented a level grind and essentially created an endgame environment for what is supposed to be a matchmaking game. You don't do this if you want to keep a large, happy, and varied playerbase. Eventually, everyone must be T5 with T5 equipment to compete, and that is going to take an insane amount of time.
Attempting to follow systems created by World of Tanks (or Warships) doesn't work in Dreadnought. There are advantages in WoT to owning multiple tanks at multiple tiers. Furthermore, you need multiple tanks to keep playing after getting blown up in a 30 minute match because that tank is stuck there until the fight ends. In Dreadnought, you only play 1 match at a time. So once T3 is unlocked, T2 is completely useless, and that will continue until Tier 5.
Instead, Dreadnought is closer to something like Call of Duty, Titanfall or Battlefield. Progress should unlock more options but not power. That's the best way to implement a lobby-based shooter, which is what Dreadnought is. Give more ship, weapon, loadout, and officer options as you level up. Don't simply give people more power. That is a terrible idea.
Moreover, there aren't any interesting options between T1 and T5. Different manufacturers have different stat options when it comes to speed, health, and damage, but there aren't really any specialized roles other than that. If you have a T5 Oberon cruiser, you'll probably never use T1-T4. That's a big problem.
Instead of simply amping up the stats, you could modify weapon loadouts. Look at something like EVE Online. Every ship has a different layout and can equip different types of weapon. Want a dreadnought focused on defense? Give it 4 defensive ability slots. Want a glass-cannon artillery cruiser? 3 offensive and 1 utility slot.
Right now every ship has 4 ability slots that can be used for anything so the only way to increase progress is with stat differences, and there are only so many choices. That's why the different manufacturers vary in stats, but also why the Tier progression is inherently flawed for each manufacturer as well.
That being said, I truly enjoy the combat in Dreadnought. I think it has great potential, but the mechanics that are being implemented are simply killing it and making people want to quit the game before it has even been launched.
I know the devs/community managers are going to read this and think I'm "just another guy who's unhappy and thinks he can do a better job but doesn't really understand the development process." In actuality, video games are my job. I've played way more than even I've wanted to, and I've seen many many games fail because of poor system implementations. I don't want Dreadnought to be another one of those games because at its core there's a lot of fun to be had.