After Op Sindoor, China's Weapons Systems Struggled To Stop US-Israel Strikes In Iran | Exclusive

Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 17:57 IST

China effectively turned Iran into another testing ground for its military equipment after similar concerns emerged following India’s Operation Sindoor in Pakistan last year.

Chinese military technology deployed in Iran during the ongoing conflict, as well as last’s year June 12 day war, struggled to withstand the US-Israel strikes.

According to reports by defence experts, Beijing effectively turned Iran into another testing ground for its military equipment after similar concerns emerged following India’s Operation Sindoor in Pakistan last year, conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The latest US‑Israel‑Iran conflict marks the third major instance where Chinese defence technology has faced drawbacks over its performance.

Beijing’s deployments in Iran focused largely on air defence systems, radar networks, navigation tools and dual-use components rather than direct combat platforms. Such support allows China to test equipment and signal deterrence while keeping risks low.

However, the strikes exposed significant weaknesses. The February 28 coordinated US-Israeli attacks and follow-up waves targeted nearly 1,000 sites across 20 provinces, including nuclear and missile infrastructure, command centres and leadership compounds.

According to the assessment, several Chinese-supplied systems were quickly overwhelmed under sustained pressure.

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HQ-9B Failures

Iran’s Chinese-supplied HQ-9B air defence systems reportedly failed to intercept advanced aircraft such as B-2 bombers, F-35 fighters, and cruise missiles including Tomahawk and JASSM.

Several batteries were destroyed during the opening hours of the attack, with reports suggesting at least three units were wiped out rapidly. Key nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow enrichment facilities were heavily damaged.

Strikes also hit compounds in Tehran, including the one where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. Iran’s long-range air defence layer collapsed early, allowing attackers to maintain near-complete air superiority.

YLC-8B Radar Failures

The YLC-8B radar systems reportedly failed to detect incoming stealth aircraft and low-observable threats.

Some radars were jammed, blinded or destroyed early in the strikes by electronic warfare aircraft such as EA-18G Growlers and anti-radiation missiles like HARM, leaving Iran without effective early warning.

ALSO READ: China Helped Iran Build Its Air & Missile Defence Ahead Of US-Israel War? Exclusive From Intel Note

BeiDou-3 And Other Support

China’s BeiDou-3 navigation system and other support technologies did little to prevent command disruption or setbacks to Iran’s missile and drone programmes.

While dual-use components helped reconstruction efforts after earlier strikes, they offered little protection against large-scale stealth and precision attacks.

Reasons For The Failures

A study by Indian defence analysts cited several factors behind the systems’ struggles. These include vulnerability to advanced US and Israeli electronic warfare, saturation attacks, stealth aircraft and decoys combined with precision munitions.

The report also pointed to poor integration with Iran’s other defence systems, including Russian-supplied S-300 and indigenous Bavar-373 platforms.

Training and operational integration issues may have further weakened the network, with some systems reportedly neutralised before they could fully engage incoming threats.

In response to the latest escalation in West Asia, China has condemned US‑Israel’s actions but has not intervened directly, instead focusing on diplomatic rhetoric, oil market stability, and limited post‑conflict dual-use reconstruction aid.

News world After Op Sindoor, China's Weapons Systems Struggled To Stop US-Israel Strikes In Iran | Exclusive

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