- A US F-15 fighter jet that went down over Iran last month may have been hit by a China-made missile
- US officials said this equipment could have improved Iran's ability to track advanced fighter jets
- The crash triggered a 36-hour search operation to locate the crew after the aircraft went down
A US F-15 fighter jet that went down over southwest Iran last month may have been hit by a China-made shoulder-fired missile, a new report states.
China may have also provided Iran with additional military support during the conflict that began on February 28, including stealth aircraft technology and long-range radar systems, according to NBC News.
US officials said this equipment could have improved Iran's ability to track advanced fighter jets like the US F-15E Strike Eagle.
At the time, US President Donald Trump said the jet was hit by a shoulder-launched missile, also called a MANPADS. These are small, portable missiles that can be carried on a person's shoulder and fired at low-flying aircraft. They are about 7 feet long and weigh around 40 pounds.
The crash triggered a 36-hour search operation to locate the crew after the aircraft went down.
US officials are still investigating how the American jet was shot down in April. The incident is being described as significant, as it may be the first time in decades that a US fighter jet has been brought down by enemy fire.
The jet had two crew members, both of whom ejected safely before the aircraft crashed. The pilot was rescued within about seven hours, while the second crew member, a weapons systems officer, took longer to find. He hid in the mountains of Iran's Zagros region and was rescued only after about two days, according to the Pentagon.
The report states that it is still not known exactly when China may have supplied military equipment to Iran. However, if Iran is indeed using Chinese-made weapons, it could further strain relations between the US and China, as Washington may view Beijing as indirectly supporting Iran in the conflict.
This comes at a time when Trump has been trying to secure China's help in ending the conflict between the US and Iran. The report also states that the Trump administration helped arrange a ceasefire with Iran before a key meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
US intelligence reports suggest that China may have been planning to provide Iran with additional air defence systems, according to NBC News. Some former officials believe these intelligence details may have been made public deliberately to expose China's possible plans, a tactic that has been used by previous US administrations.
The report also states that the US recently accused China of helping Iran by allowing access to Chinese satellite services, which could assist Iran in tracking US forces. As a result, the US imposed sanctions on three Chinese satellite companies. China, however, rejected the allegations.
Earlier this month, Trump told Fox News that Xi personally assured him that China was not sending weapons to Iran. "President Xi has promised me that he's not sending any weapons to Iran. That's a beautiful promise. I take him at his word. I appreciated it," he said.
