"Chinese Radar Deployed in Iran Useless Against U.S.-Israel Airstrikes?" Doubts Raised

China’s 4th Generation Mobile Radar System YLC-8B
Deployed in Iran but Failed to Stop U.S.-Israel Airstrikes
Proved Ineffective in Venezuela as Well... "Effectiveness in Doubt"

As the Chinese-made air defense network installed in Iran failed to prevent airstrikes by the United States and Israel, questions are being raised about the performance of these weapons systems.

On the 2nd (local time), smoke is rising near Tehran, the capital of Iran. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to foreign media outlets such as Taiwan's Newtalk News and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong on March 3, Iran has deployed China's 4th generation mobile radar system, the YLC-8B, in Tehran and other areas, in addition to its existing Russian-made air defense network. China first unveiled the YLC-8B at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2016, claiming that it could detect American F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters from a distance of 250 kilometers. Since then, China has promoted its domestically developed air defense system as being able to detect and intercept stealth aircraft.

Iran has also acquired and is operating the new HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missile developed by China. With a range of 250 kilometers, the HQ-9B is equipped with active radar homing and infrared seeker technologies, allowing it to evade electronic warfare attacks and intercept stealth aircraft. China has also provided its indigenous Beidou satellite navigation system to Iran, enabling Iran to replace the American GPS system.

However, during a large-scale attack where Israel deployed around 200 fighter jets and the United States mobilized B2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike more than 1,000 targets, Iran failed to shoot down a single aircraft. Taiwan's FTV, citing experts, reported, "Iran invested heavily in purchasing Chinese radar, but it proved useless in last year's attack on nuclear facilities and this year's large-scale airstrikes."

The Times of India pointed out, "Combat analysts are investigating whether the Chinese air defense system failed to function properly due to technical defects or was simply overwhelmed by the large-scale assault by the US-Israel coalition," adding, "If it cannot protect key facilities from enemy airstrikes, questions will be raised about the effectiveness of Chinese air defense systems."

China's 4th generation mobile radar system YLC-8B. Radar tutorial

Chinese radar also raised doubts in Venezuela in January. Venezuela had installed the Chinese JY-27A radar. China had promoted this radar's powerful stealth target detection and anti-jamming capabilities, but it failed to detect military aircraft sent by the United States to capture former President Nicolas Maduro.

Dennis Wilder, a professor at Georgetown University, told the SCMP, "The US and Israel demonstrated overwhelming advantages in electronic and cyber warfare, intelligence gathering, and the integration of land, sea, air, and space assets this time," adding, "China is about 10 years behind the US in terms of utilizing advanced technology."

Meanwhile, as the United States has carried out consecutive strikes on Venezuela and Iran, both considered China's strategic partners, there is growing uncertainty surrounding a potential US-China summit.

David Arase, a professor of international politics at the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies, told the SCMP that it "could be awkward" for Chinese President Xi Jinping to receive US President Donald Trump. However, he added, "Even so, China needs to limit the many downside risks in its relationship with the US," and said that "even without new progress, stabilizing and making relations with the unpredictable US president more predictable would be helpful."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.