Are same-era military aircraft cockpits designed to be familiar to transitioning pilots?

Question

The wonderful SR-71 ha what looks to me an intimidating cockpit:

However, lots of planes of that era have ostensibly-similar cockpits to the layman, take this F-5 for instance:

I choose the F-5 as it was flying around the time the SR-71 was introduced, and thus potential SR-71 pilots may have been familiar with it. Would the cockpit designers have taken this into consideration? In general, are next-generation airplane cockpits designed to be familiar to pilots of current-generation aircraft?

Elements that may or may not be taken into consideration:

• Placement and relative placement or grouping of instruments
• Size and relative size of instruments
• Lighting, colours
• Calibration
• Materials selection

Answer 1

Unless there is regulation enforcing certain aspects (e.g. as in the automotive sector), it is practicability would be the most probable cause leading to similar-ish cockpit designs.

Another reason would be convention, e.g. prior to the introduction of the side-stick, the center-stick was the way to do it.

Also, ergonomics is a very strong driver. During the landing approach, you wouldn't want to take your eyes far away from the windscreen to check altitude, speed and rate of sinking. Thus, these instruments are found in similar locations in most airplanes.