By Zarak Khan | 2026-04-13

The failure of Chinese-made CM-302 supersonic antiship missiles in Iranian service has shattered any remaining myth of China's military invincibility and intensified scrutiny of Beijing's defense exports.

During a large-scale Iranian salvo of Chinese-made CM-302 supersonic missiles against a US carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, interception systems neutralized all incoming missiles, according to a March report by Global Defense Corp, a defense-focused news platform.

Iran has been in conflict with the United States and Israel since February 28.

Misfires and deviations

"These missiles, heavily promoted by Beijing as 'carrier killers,' failed spectacularly. Not a single one hit its target," the report said. The US Aegis defense system intercepted several missiles, it added.

Other shortcomings had internal origins.

CM-302 missiles "failed mid-flight, either deviating from [their] target due to a guidance system failure or malfunctioning at cruising altitude, failing to accelerate to Mach 3 in the terminal phase," Global Defense Corp reported.

Before the launch of US strikes on Iran, Reuters reported on February 24 that Tehran was close to finalizing a deal to purchase CM-302 missiles to "significantly enhance Iran's strike capabilities and pose a threat to US naval forces in the region."

Negotiations between Tehran and Beijing had been under way for at least two years and accelerated sharply following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June, Reuters said.

China's state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. has marketed the CM-302 as "the best anti-ship missile available on the world's arms market."

However, its dismal performance against a US carrier strike group has been described by analysts as a significant setback for both Tehran and Beijing.

Export credibility is dwindling

The shortcomings of Chinese arms in Iran remind observers of how badly Chinese defense systems fared in Venezuela and Pakistan recently, say analysts.

The February 28 operation by US and Israeli forces in Iran, which killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, exposed weaknesses in Iran's air defense network.

Chinese-made HQ-9B surface-to-air missile systems deployed around Tehran proved useless, according to regional defense reports.

In Venezuela, China's JY-27A anti-stealth radar formed part of a layered air defense system alongside Russian-supplied platforms.

However, a US special operations raid in January penetrated the network. The commandos killed strongman Nicolás Maduro's bodyguards and brought him and his wife back to the United States to face trial.

Last May, India and Pakistan waged a four-day conflict during which both sides employed a range of advanced weapon systems.

Pakistan, the world's largest purchaser of Chinese military hardware, deployed Chinese-made radar and HQ-9B systems, but Indian officials later said their forces hit multiple targets inside Pakistan.

Systemic doubts

The unmasking of the CM-302's deficiencies in Iran could mark a setback for China's defense industry, which has faced increasing customer skepticism, say military observers. The Chinese military's credibility could suffer too.

Arms industry data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute show Chinese weapon exports have stagnated in recent years.

Misgivings over the reliability of Chinese hardware have been compounded by internal turmoil within China's military establishment, including purges of senior People's Liberation Army officers responsible for procurement and missile forces.

These developments may point to deeper institutional weaknesses, analysts say.