To hell with the pilots, what about the controllers?
I did two tours at Boulmer, one at Staxton and two at Neatishead controlling literally hundreds of hours of tanking on AAR5/6/8 with tanker cells of up to 4 tankers and up to 24 receivers either climbing towards, tanking with (and moving between tankers in the cell for dry/wet tanking) and departing on two separate frequencies (one cell, one transit). The even idea that FJ manoeuvring traffic would not be called when inside 20nm is incredible. Everyone knew that FJ traffic could turn 180 degrees in a sweep and change height by 10K+ when playing in the vertical. And all that without Mode C on most of the traffic.
But then I also did 8 ship USAF F4 intercepts off Great Yarmouth with one target and 7 fighters doing individual 135 degree intercepts with the target changing each run whilst coordinating with all the other military and civil traffic when Woodbridge/Bentwaters had about 200 F4s and Wattisham had a Lightning wing.
Standards and experience have obviously gone through the floor.