NBC News, on Saturday, 30 May, citing three US intelligence officials, reported that Iran may have used a “Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile” to shoot down a US F-15 fighter jet in the airspace of southwest Iran. According to the report, the fighter jet, which allegedly crashed in southwest Iran in April, may have been hit by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS), a weapon approximately two meters long and weighing around 18 kilograms, designed to engage low-flying targets. NBC noted that, if confirmed, the downing of this aircraft would represent the first such incident in several decades. Intelligence sources told NBC that China’s possible support to Iran may extend beyond shoulder-fired missiles. According to these sources, China may have also supplied a long-range early warning radar system, the YLC-8B model, designed to detect advanced stealth aircraft. The United States had previously sanctioned several Chinese satellite companies for allegedly providing intelligence data to Iran to target US forces. Washington is now examining whether the equipment was recently delivered or part of older defense arrangements. NBC added that investigations into the exact weapon used in the incident are still ongoing.
