An American F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over southwestern Iran last month was likely struck by a Chinese-made, shoulder-fired missile, three sources with knowledge of the matter told NBC News. U.S. officials are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the April shootdown, the first time in decades a U.S. fighter has been lost to enemy fire.
One source and a separate U.S. official also said China may have supplied Iran with a long-range early-warning radar capable of detecting some stealth aircraft. It is unclear when any of this equipment was transferred, or whether the radar system was actually deployed during the recent conflict.
The possible use of Chinese-made weapons complicates relations between Washington and Beijing at a sensitive moment: President Donald Trump has been seeking Chinese cooperation to help secure a halt to hostilities. Negotiations aimed at ending the war are ongoing even as the U.S. continues strikes it describes as defensive.
In public remarks since the incident, Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him China would not send weapons to Iran. The Chinese Embassy in Washington issued a statement denying improper arms exports, saying China follows its export control laws and international obligations and rejected what it called baseless accusations.
U.S. intelligence reporting previously suggested China planned to provide additional air-defense systems to Iran in the coming weeks. Some former U.S. officials say leaks of that intelligence may have been intended to expose Beijing’s intentions, a tactic used in prior administrations.
The missile type likely used—known as a man-portable air defense system, or MANPADS—is roughly seven feet long, weighs about 40 pounds, and is designed to bring down low-flying aircraft. President Trump described the strike as coming from a shoulder-fired weapon.
Both members of the two-person F-15 crew safely ejected. The pilot was rescued within about seven hours. The weapons systems officer evaded capture for two days, hiding in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains before U.S. forces located and recovered him, Pentagon officials said.
U.S. authorities have also accused China of allowing Iran access to Chinese satellite imagery and data that could assist in targeting U.S. forces in the region; the State Department imposed sanctions on three Chinese satellite companies that it said were providing such support. China has denied those allegations.
A U.S. official familiar with the discussions told NBC News that while China had supported Iran before the war, any assistance during the current conflict so far has not had a decisive operational impact on the battlefield.
Historically, China supplied Iran with larger quantities of weapons in the 1980s and 1990s, including missiles, tanks and aircraft. After a U.N. arms embargo was imposed in 2006, Beijing stepped back from major weapons sales and instead provided components and dual-use technologies that have both civilian and military applications. Iran has since invested heavily in developing its domestic defense industry.
Experts note that China has long been an economic lifeline for Iran despite U.S. sanctions. By supplying dual-use items and technology, Beijing has helped Tehran sustain and modernize aspects of its surveillance and military infrastructure, analysts say.
U.S. investigations into exactly how the F-15 was downed, when any Chinese equipment reached Iran, and whether additional systems were fielded in the conflict are ongoing. Officials say piecing together those timelines and sourcing remains a priority as Washington evaluates the broader implications for U.S.-China relations and regional security.