We survey some applications of mean value results for Dirichlet polynomials over primes in the theory of the Riemann zeta function. This includes central limit theorems and pair correlation of zeros. We then give some examples showing how, on assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, one can compute asymptotics for moments of long Dirichlet polynomials over primes without using the Hardy--Littlewood conjectures for additive correlations of the von-Mangoldt functions.