Russia agrees to export 90 LMUR missile launchers to Iran

Russia has agreed to transfer 90 launchers for guided missiles, which are being used in the war against Ukraine, to Iran. This became known from data published by the Financial Times.

Contract details and customer coding

FT journalists gained access to the production schedules of one of Russia's key defence enterprises for 2024 and 2025. These documents record an export order for launchers for a buyer designated by the code "K-10". As the publication found out, it is under this index that Iran appears in internal documentation.

The order concerns 90 units of APU-L and APU-305 type launchers, designed for installation on helicopters. These systems are used to launch the light multi-purpose guided missile LMUR, also known as "Product 305".

Delivery status and other markets

The publication notes that it is currently unknown whether these launchers have actually been handed over to Tehran, as the available documents do not confirm the completion of the delivery. In addition to Iran, Russia plans to export similar launchers to China.

It is worth noting that Iran already has Russian Mi-28 attack helicopters in its arsenal, which can serve as carriers for these launch systems.

Expert assessments and geopolitical context

According to Western intelligence services, military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran has intensified during this year's conflict in the Middle East. However, US President Donald Trump continues to claim that Russia provides almost no assistance to Iran.

FT recalls the history of military interaction between the two countries: Russia helped Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles, sold it air defence missiles, and cooperated with Tehran on issues related to nuclear weapons. At the same time, Moscow is trying not to cross a certain line in supporting Iran so as not to worsen relations with other countries in the region and the United States.

Hanna Notte, Director of the "Eurasia" programme at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, noted that Russia still has certain limitations regarding its involvement in the war. In her opinion, Moscow's assistance is useful for Tehran from an operational perspective, but is not capable of radically changing the course of the fighting.