Capital Ships gaining experience randomly/inappropriately

Hello,

I assume this is a bug and not something I researched, playing as TEC "rebels".

Capital ships seem to be gaining experience from a destroyed enemy no matter where they were located. Example: I had an Akkan sitting doing nothing a whole star system away and it was steadily gaining experience from a starbase I had back in the other system engaging an enemy fleet.

Normally they should be within the same gravity well to gain combat experience?