JJA4
"Can you 'make peace' on the ground when your Hornet takes a SAM or AAM before it drop it's weaponry?"
Lol you can't be serious! I don't care how modern or stealthy your aircraft is you still risk the chance of getting shot down. Remember the F-117 that got shot down by "primitive" weapons.
That risk is significantly reduced with an LO aircraft.
The question I pose now is why was that an important criteria then and now we are set on buying a single engine aircraft to patrol the same areas?
Engine technology and reliability has come a long way since the 50's. The predecessor to the Hornet for both RCAF and RAAF were that era of technology single engine jets (F-104 for RCAF, MirageIII for RAAF) and due to that both airforces lost plenty of jets and pilots. In the last 60 years the technology has moved on and the modern engines are far more reliable.