Eurofighter Typhoon Stacks Up Against F-15, F-16, & F/A-18 In 2026
Stacks (STX)
Editor:
Eugene Serbin
simpleflying.com reports that Western fighter aviation faces an unusual crossroads in 2026, with aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 being ordered in new batches despite their age. The Typhoon, F-15EX, F-16V, and F/A-18 Super Hornet are all categorized as fourth-generation fighters but now feature advanced sensors and electronic warfare systems. The F-15EX is the largest and fastest aircraft in this group, capable of carrying up to sixteen air-to-air missiles, while the F-16 remains a lightweight, affordable single-engine fighter with roughly 2,700 aircraft in service globally.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is the only carrier-capable option, though its production line is nearing closure, whereas the Typhoon utilizes a canard-delta design for exceptional turn performance and supercruise capability at Mach 1.2 without afterburner. Germany has approved additional Typhoons, and Turkey is waiting for its first jets following a 2025 deal for 12 aircraft, bringing the Typhoon fleet to just over 600 operational aircraft. The F-15 family has just under 900 aircraft worldwide, while the F/A-18 family totals roughly 870 aircraft.
The F-16's global dominance is attributed to decades of US foreign military sales policy, providing a vast support network and weapons compatibility. These comparisons are critical as governments actively choose between these aircraft for roles ranging from Baltic air policing to Red Sea strike operations.
How the market reacted
Whalio's own Binance spot order flow for STX, measured when this story was written up on 21 September 2026. Not the outlet's figures.
Whalio spot data for STX shows a buy ratio of 52.8% over the last hour and 53.3% over four hours, indicating that buying pressure is currently building. This contrasts with the 24-hour buy ratio of 49.2%, suggesting that recent momentum is stronger than the broader daily trend. The volume delta is positive at +$4,494 for the hour and +$3,865 for the four-hour period, reflecting immediate net inflows. However, the 24-hour volume delta is -$73,866, meaning that over the full day, selling pressure has outweighed buying. This divergence suggests that while short-term traders are aggressively accumulating, the longer-term daily flow remains net negative. The CVD at the 24-hour close stands at -$83,303, confirming that cumulative selling has dominated the day's activity despite the recent uptick in buying.
The latest daily buy ratio of 55.9% sits at the 87th percentile of the last 323 days, against a median of 50.8% - stronger buying than most days.
Was that an ordinary day?
The same Binance spot measurements for STX, averaged over the days leading up to the story.
Over the preceding week, the buy ratio averaged 48.4%, making today's 1-hour ratio of 52.8% an unusually high reading compared to the weekly norm. Spot volume has surged to 1.77 times the weekly average, indicating significantly heightened trading activity. While the 24-hour volume delta is negative, the 8-day total volume delta is -$997,850, showing that sustained selling has occurred over the longer period. The price has risen 26.4% over eight days, contrasting with the current daily net outflow. This represents an unusual day of high volume and short-term buying strength against a backdrop of weekly net selling.