Russia secretly helps Iran develop hypersonic missiles — media
США та Іран можуть укласти угоду/ Фото з відкритих джерел
Russia has been secretly helping Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles for several years. This is the secret C430L project, under which Russian specialists transfer technology to Tehran and help create ramjet engines.
The Financial Times writes about this, having analyzed leaked Russian correspondence, data on specialist travel, and defense patents.
According to the publication, the C430L project began in 2023. Its main goal is to develop technology for missiles capable of traveling at speeds several times the speed of sound. Such weapons could pose a serious threat to ships, including US aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf.
Supersonic speed and low flight altitude make it difficult to detect and intercept such missiles, reducing the reaction time of air defense and missile defense systems.
According to the FT, the project was coordinated by Rosoboronexport and NVO Mashinostroitelny. Representatives of Russian companies regularly traveled to Iran even before the official agreement between Tehran and the Russian side was concluded in November 2023.
Among the Russian specialists were designers specializing in missile systems and ramjet engines. In 2025, the Russian side received technical documentation from Iran on such power plants and provided its recommendations after testing.
In April 2025, it was also planned to send a group of approximately 20 Russian experts to Iran for technical consultations within the framework of the C430L.
According to the FT, Iran has already produced and tested a ramjet engine. However, there is currently no confirmation that Tehran has already deployed a ready-made supersonic missile created with the help of Russia.
According to the publication, cooperation on the C430L project continued in 2026. The Russian side prepared technical reports for Iran, and representatives of the two countries discussed further stages of the program.
Russia and Iran have been deepening military cooperation in recent years. In particular, Tehran has been transferring Shahed attack drones to Moscow and helping to organize their production in the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the Kremlin, Rosoboronexport, and NVO Mashinostroitelny did not comment on the information about the secret project to FT journalists.
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