The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command said construction of the first of three sites for the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability has been completed ahead of schedule. The milestone marks significant progress for the trilateral partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, which aims to establish a global network of advanced ground-based sensors.
Work on the Exmouth site in Western Australia began in October 2023 and concluded three months ahead of schedule in December 2024. The site infrastructure, including the radar power plant, is complete, spectrum licenses and airspace approvals are secured, and the first receiver and transmitter antennas are in place. Mission system integration and testing are underway following the first open-air antenna transmission in September. SSC said full operational capability is expected by 2027.
USSF Brig. Gen. Chandler Atwood, deputy commander of Space Operations Command, emphasized DARC’s importance in enhancing space domain awareness. “DARC will ensure the U.S., its allies and partners can effectively characterize the movement of objects traveling in, from and to space, allowing us to mitigate the risk of debris-causing events that could hold the world’s space-enabled capabilities at risk,” the general said.
Meanwhile, Michael Hunt, who represents Australia on the DARC steering committee, praised the trilateral collaboration, noting the project’s success as an example of effective partnership in advancing space domain awareness.
DARC will create a global, all-weather radar system capable of tracking small objects up to around 36,000 kilometers away from Earth in geosynchronous orbit to protect critical satellite services. The 22-year AUKUS agreement, signed in September 2023, seeks to enhance mutual space-based defense capabilities and ensure safety and security in the Indo-Pacific.
Last August, the SSC awarded Northrop Grumman a $200 million contract for the second DARC site, which will be located in the redeveloped Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire, Wales. A third site is planned to be inside the continental U.S., with the entire DARC network expected to be completed in 2032.