U.S. Space Force selects Texas site for third deep space radar, targeting 2030 operations

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The Space Force has selected a site in north Texas as the preferred location for the final site of its new Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC), the service announced on Sept. 9.

Pending final approvals, construction on the new radar and accompanying facilities will begin at Lake Kickapoo, Texas, in 2027, according to a Space Force release.

Program Overview

The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are collaborating on the DARC program to enhance their ability to monitor geosynchronous orbit, which extends up to 22,000 miles above Earth. Comprising three radar sites, DARC will provide the allies with a 24/7, all-weather view of the entire GEO belt—offering greater coverage than any other ground-based system currently available.

“Selecting Texas as the preferred location for the final DARC site keeps us on track to deliver a truly global deep-space sensing network with our closest allies,” said new Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas A. Schiess in a statement. “This capability will improve visibility in our contested domain and reinforce our shared capacity to protect the space systems on which our nations rely.”

Under a trilateral agreement, the U.S. Space Force is leading development, but the agreement allows the U.K. and Australia to operate and host sites and participate in joint operations and exercises. Northrop Grumman is building the radars.

Site Selection Timeline

• First DARC site (Western Australia): Construction began in 2023 and was completed by late 2024. The site was cleared for early operational use in 2025, even as testing continues.
• Second DARC site (Wales): Selected in 2024. Construction is expected to start in April 2026, pending final approvals.
• Third DARC site (Lake Kickapoo, Texas): Selected in September 2025. Construction expected to begin in 2027.

Accelerated Timeline for Texas Site

The Space Force aims to move quickly in Texas. The planned timeline is:

• Award a contract and begin construction in 2026
• Complete building by 2029
• Finish test and evaluation before accepting the radar for operations in 2030

These goals were recently accelerated—the Government Accountability Office had previously reported a 2032 timeline for having all three sites operational.

Program Funding and Status

At one point, it was not entirely clear whether a third DARC site would be built. The Space Force indicated in 2025 that it was considering changing course on the DARC acquisition strategy, including potentially canceling the third location. However, the service’s fiscal 2027 budget request funded the full program. This includes:

• $442 million in fiscal year 2027
• $1.6 billion through fiscal year 2031

Lake Kickapoo Site History

Lake Kickapoo, located about 120 miles northwest of Fort Worth, previously hosted the main transmitter site for the old AN/FPS-133 Space Fence system. That system was initially developed by the Navy, eventually transferred to the Air Force, and was decommissioned in 2013, with a new AN/FSY-3 Space Fence coming online in 2020. The Federation of American Scientists described the Lake Kickapoo site as “the largest continuous wave transmitter in the world” when it was built.

Part of the master transmitter antenna, a two-mile array at Lake Kickapoo, Texas, used to create part of the Air Force Space Surveillance System, aka Space Fence, with similar areas located throughout the southern United States.

Photo courtesy of ONR

Audio for this article is provided by the Air & Space Forces Association, which honors and supports our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Learn more at afa.org.