How do I Mod my own ship models

I haven't posted on this site or played this games since the first month it came out. I was hoping that if i left it alone for awhile things would be different when I cam back to it, there not. What i was expecting has not happened. My first point I'd like to get acroos on this rant is?

How do I Mod my own ship models. I can add and edit my own flags, racial portraits, maps, just about anything i want into the game except ship models. Example How would I add the "enterprise" as a destroyer model or a light cruiser model., I can make it appear on my city screen or any 2-D scene in game but i cant figure that 3-d aspect out. I think its a combination of 2 files, the first being text with lots of numbers (i can assume pixel placemets) and the other being MISC image panels. Is there a third party program i can use to make the image then convert it to the neceassry files or am i expected to manually code the image file and the text file?
So far I noticed NO mods out there thats add new ship models to choose from. WarHammer dawn of war was easier to MOD than this and it was fully 3D, it also supported a number of third party 3D rendering programs and extensive easy to use Tutorials.

Currently Im back to playing alpha centuri for my 4X fix (the best out of ANY civ game), I hate Galactic Civilization II, HATE IT, that could fill up a whole page in itself. And really cant stand the concept of plugging in a console system, inserting a disc and taking up a TV screen for some Romance3K.

SO If someone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.