Ok I am not an expert but doesn't the F16 (and F-14/15 ect) have a relatively large radar and infrared signature? A 5th generation fighter or latest ground/naval system would see them way to soon to be comfortable!
Yes, but...
The "teen" series fighters have a relatively large radar cross section, when viewed (by radar) from the correct angle. However, there are ways to reduce a plane's radar signature, called it's Swerling Class rating.
You can do what's called "beaming", or moving at 90° to the radar's beam. Essentially, with a normal search radar, they just go roundie-roundie-round, so the plane can fly a curved course, keeping it at 90° to the radar beam, and keeping the correct speed to stay at exactly 90°. In other words, they need to know the exact speed of the radar's rotation, so they can match it. The chances of there only being 1 radar to avoid, however, is slim to none, and Slim has left town. Most military tend to pack their search radar sites so their coverage areas overlap one another to a greater or lesser extent, thus obviating the "Beaming" choice. If you beam one radar, another will "see" you.
Then, you could take a much longer route, to an area where there are few if any search radar systems posted. Say the target is covered well on it's southern border. Go around to the north, then in. Fine, if you have access to the airspaces involved, which is very seldom the case. So, now you not only need clearance, and hope those areas don't rat you out to the target area, but now you have factor in fatigue, boredom of long flights, aerial refuel points etc etc.
You can come into the radar's coverage area low. I mean LOW, not just low. Ground based radar systems tend to look up for aircraft, oddly enough, and below a certain altitude are blind. Usually, below about 500' will do the trick. However, now your fuel usage goes UP, dramatically for jet aircraft. So again, you need to set up aerial refueling, and the attack aircraft may well need to reduce their weapons load to be able to make the run. Additionally, TFR (Terrain Following) is pretty dangerous. There are also things called Aerostats, which are large, tethered, Balloons, with a search radar hung under them. They look down to "see" what ground based radars miss. Work very well too. I used to work on one such system, and we saw ultralights trying to sneak across the US/Mexican border at 300' AGL.
There is also the method of sending the Wild Weasels in to destroy some of the radar installations to open a "blind" route into the target area. This tells the target they're coming, though. Unless you send the Weasels to destroy the radars of several possible targets, at various times, so the enemy isn't sure which is the target to be attacked. You can also send some sections in as feints, making a run after the Weasels get done, but aborting before it get's dangerous, or heading to a different target after heading towords one target. This permits the real attack to sneak in while they are looking another way for the attacking planes.
I can't speak to the other planes, but the newer F/A-18's (E/F/G models) have been designed with many "stealth" features. Airframe design features learned from the F-117, radar-absorbtive paint, and so on, which dramatically reduce the plane's radar cross-section. Couple this with one or more of the other methods, and they work pretty well for sneaking into a target.
As well, the Hornet is designed to fight in, attack, fight out, if necessary.
So yes, they have a pretty large Swerling cross-section, but there are ways to eliminate this as a factor. And let's face it, as much as I love them, most of the "teen" series fighters are better at this than the Phantom was, sadly. Lower Swerling Class, greater range and payload, etc.
Just me opinion, for what it's worth, though...
Pat☺
" and when they acted accordingly, the F-14 would let the wings do what they wanted automatically, and again, a win. 
