MAD Boom
Are you having a bit of a class war moment?
I know it's not PC to say it nowadays, but Officers and NCA are different. That is why there are more stringent recruiting procedures for officers.
Officers go through a more stringent recruitment and then have a lot more money spent training them.
It is accepted universally, though not explicitly nowadays, that Officers do a better job.
That is why they are employed despite the significant extra cost.
If this interferes with your socialist worker moment then tough.
Are the best of the NCA superior to the worst of the Officers?
Certainly.
Is the average NCA more suited to run the military/aircraft than the average Officer?
No. Not outside of television shows.