US F-15 Fighter Jet Allegedly Downed by Chinese Missile in Iran

Washington DC. It is claimed that a Chinese-made (shoulder-fired) missile was fired at a US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet shot down in the southwestern region of Iran last April. This claim has been published in a report by US media NBC News.

The report cites three sources with knowledge of the matter to make this claim. However, US officials have stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and a final conclusion has not yet been released.

According to the report, it is suspected that China may have also provided Iran with a long-range early warning radar system. This radar is said to be capable of identifying stealth aircraft, which are generally difficult to detect. The radar is known as the YLC-8B radar. However, it is not yet clear whether this system was used during the conflict.

According to US officials, this is the first incident in decades where a US fighter jet has been shot down by enemy fire. The two crew members on board the aircraft managed to eject in time. The pilot was rescued within seven hours, and the weapons systems officer was safely rescued two days later in Iran's Zagros Mountains region.

This claim comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is seeking China's help to end the conflict with Iran. This could further complicate US-China relations. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also stated that China should play a role in resolving the Iran crisis. However, he clarified that the US is not dependent on China's help.

What does China say?

China has denied this allegation. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US stated that China strictly adheres to legal procedures and international obligations when exporting military equipment, calling the allegations baseless. Previously, the US had also accused China of providing satellite imagery and other technical assistance to Iran. China had also denied those allegations.

According to experts, China sold a large quantity of weapons to Iran in the 1980s and 1990s. This included ballistic missiles, fighter jets, tanks, and other military equipment. However, after the UN arms embargo on Iran in 2006, China reduced direct arms sales.

Since then, it is said to have provided Iran with dual-use (for both civilian and military purposes) technologies and equipment. So far, the US government has not officially confirmed that the missile used by Iran was Chinese.