It wasn't that the AAR system "hadn't been used for years" - it had never been cleared for use because the original trials suggested AAR with a Vulcan was just to challenging for the pilot. So while the provisions were there in the airframes the capability had never been used for anything but trials.
I think he was talking about as a receiver, not tanker - hence the running around looking for probe bits when the Falklands war started.
I do remember one Vulcan tanker trial when, IIRC, the receiver called a mayday with a multiple engine flameout after something went wrong and there was a large fuel spill into the intakes. Managed a relight though.
p.s. Surplus,
I don't think Dale Brown should sit my the mailbox waiting for any checks - the engine upgrade will replace 8 engines with 8 modern biz-jet type engines to limit the changes required.