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US Space Force selects Texas site for third deep space radar, targets 2030 operations
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The U.S. Space Force announced on September 9 that it has selected a site in north Texas, at Lake Kickapoo, as the preferred location for the third and final site of its Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC). Pending final approvals, construction is slated to begin in 2027, with operations targeted for 2030. DARC is a trilateral program involving the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia to provide continuous, all-weather monitoring of geosynchronous orbit. The first site in western Australia was cleared for early operational use in 2025, and the second site in Wales is expected to begin construction in April 2026. The Space Force accelerated the timeline, moving the operational target from 2032 to 2030. The fiscal 2027 budget includes $442 million for the program, with an additional $1.6 billion through fiscal 2031. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas A. Schiess stated the capability will improve visibility in a contested domain and reinforce allied capacity to protect space systems. Northrop Grumman is building the radars. The Lake Kickapoo site previously hosted the transmitter for the old Space Fence system.
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Audio version of this article is provided by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Learn more at afa.org.
The U.S. 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 September 9.
Pending final approvals, construction on the new radar and supporting facilities will begin at Lake Kickapoo, Texas, in 2027, according to a Space Force release.
Trilateral Partnership for Geosynchronous Monitoring
The United States, 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. The system will consist of three radar sites, providing the allies with 24/7, all-weather coverage of the entire geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) belt—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, while the U.K. and Australia are authorized to operate and host sites and participate in joint operations and exercises. Northrop Grumman is building the radars.
Site Selection and Timeline
- First DARC site: Western Australia. Construction began in 2023 and concluded by late 2024. The site was cleared for early operational use in 2025, even as testing continues.
- Second DARC site: Wales. Selected in 2024, with construction expected to start in April 2026, pending final approvals.
- Third DARC site: Lake Kickapoo, Texas. Preferred location announced September 2025.
The Space Force aims to move quickly in Texas. The planned timeline is to award a contract and begin construction in 2026, complete building by 2029, and 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 History
At one point, the third DARC site was uncertain. In 2025, the Space Force indicated 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, including $442 million in fiscal 2027 and an additional $1.6 billion through fiscal 2031.
Lake Kickapoo's Legacy
Lake Kickapoo, located approximately 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, later transferred to the Air Force, and decommissioned in 2013. A new AN/FSY-3 Space Fence came 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 version of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Learn more at afa.org.
Source
Air & Space Forces MagazineWestern