Military technology can look impressive in parades, arms exhibitions, and propaganda videos. But there is only one real test for any weapon system: the battlefield.

And across several modern wars, that test is producing an increasingly clear result. When Russian and Chinese military systems face the integrated intelligence, precision strike capabilities, and battlefield networks of the US and Israel, they are being exposed as far less capable than advertised.

For years, Tehran invested heavily in Russian and Chinese military technology. Russia supplied Iran with the S-300PMU-2 long-range air defense system, which was meant to shield key strategic sites including nuclear facilities and military bases. China, meanwhile, helped build large parts of Iran’s missile and drone programs by supplying materials, electronics, and key components.