Disturbingly, I find myself agreeing with Pr00ne on this subject. This thread started with a TV programme about FJ training so FJ is what we are discussing. I know that throughout the Cold War, lots of fleets were “doing it for real”. SH in NI, various AT roles, Nimrods (as they never ceased to remind us) etc.. In the FJ world we stood Q, both nuclear and AD, but deep down we ( or I at least) never thought it would turn into a shooting war. I was a FJ back seater during the Cold War. My son is a current FJ aviator, and I can tell you that there is a world of difference between our two worlds. Whilst my generation lost an obscene number of people to accidents I submit that is not the same as spending hours and hours over parts of the world where you have the likes of Taliban or ISIS waiting fir you on the ground, and where delivering weapons on them is an everyday occurrence. I freely admit that, as a fluke of timing and posting I never did it for real. If, during that period others did; good for them.
PS. My credentials:
Nav 1972-2000
Vulcans, Buccaneers, Tornado GR1
4000 hours
Never dropped a bomb in anger.