F-15: Last month, a US F-15 fighter jet crashed in southwestern Iran. Now, a new report claims that the plane was probably shot down by a Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile. NBC News reports that China may have also provided other military assistance to Iran during the war, including stealth aircraft technology and long-range surveillance radar systems.
US officials believe this equipment can help Iran better track modern US fighter jets, especially the F-15E Strike Eagle. During the war, US President Donald Trump had said that the plane was targeted by a shoulder-fired missile. Such missiles are called MANPADS. These are small, portable weapons which any person can fire by keeping them on the shoulder. They are about 7 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. These are usually used to target aircraft flying at low altitude.
36 hours search operation
After the plane crashed, the US military searched for the two crew members for 36 hours. There were two people on board the F-15 aircraft. Before the crash, both of them got out of the aircraft safely by parachute. The pilot was rescued in about seven hours. It took more time to find the other crew member, a weapons systems officer. The pilot remained hiding in the Zagros mountains of Iran and was rescued after about two days. US officials are still investigating the weapon used to bring down the plane.
When did China provide the equipment?
The report says that it is not yet clear when China gave military equipment to Iran. However, if Iran is really using Chinese weapons, it could further worsen relations between the US and China. US may consider this as China’s indirect support to Iran. This incident has happened at a time when the Trump Administration is trying to calm the US-Iran conflict with the help of China.
Earlier this month, Trump told Fox News that Xi Jinping had assured him that China was not sending weapons to Iran. He said he has confidence in Xi’s promise and appreciates it.
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