Russia is helping Iran build supersonic cruise missiles that travel faster than the speed of sound, according to a recent report by the British newspaper the Financial Times.
According to the report, Russian engineers have traveled to Iran multiple times to help build the ramjet engines needed for the high-speed missiles. Once the technology is fully developed, the report said, Tehran would be able to strike U.S. warships and aircraft carriers in the Middle East with relative ease.
The report, based on an analysis of leaked Russian documents and military contracts, described the technology transfer as a highly significant development in military cooperation between the two countries.
The project, code-named “C430L,” began in 2023 and remained active through 2026, according to the report. Work on the project reportedly continued even after Iran came under attack in the current war.
Military experts say transferring such highly sensitive military technology to Iran would have required approval at the highest levels of the Kremlin. Russia’s state arms agency and government did not comment on the matter.
Ties between Russia and Iran have deepened considerably since the start of the Ukraine war. Iran once supplied drones to Russia; now, Russia is providing Iran with technological and military support.