Space Systems Command’s DARC Project Continues Landmark Radar Development in Australia and Extends to U.K.

Summary: United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense selects Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire, Wales as preferred second site for Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) via a landmark radar initiative.

November 25, 2024 – In case you missed it, Space Systems Command’s Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) project continues to progress as plans by the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) Ministry of Defense (MOD) to redevelop the Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire, Wales, were announced in August 2024. Cawdor Barracks has been identified as the preferred site to host the landmark radar initiative’s second DARC site, dependent on environmental assessments and town planning approval processes.

The U.S. cooperation with Australia and the U.K. is a strong indicator of the flexibility of the Federal Government’s Other Transaction Authority (OTA) and its potential to harness international collaboration. DARC, a project made possible by a Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) OTA, will play a crucial role in AUKUS nations’ ability to support safety and security in the Indo-Pacific and the rest of the world.

OTA is the term commonly used to refer to the (10 U.S.C. 4021) authority of the Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out certain prototypes, research, and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities were created to give DoD the flexibility necessary to adopt and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial industry standards and best practices into its award instruments.

Site 1 for the DARC project is currently being developed in Australia, through an award under the SpEC OTA, where the first radar site is being constructed with support from AUKUS nations. A second contract award was made by Space Systems Command in August 2024, to deliver a site in the U.K. which will be the second of three planned sites for DARC. Ultimately, DARC’s mission is to establish a network of ground-based radars in Australia, the U.K., and the United States to provide global space monitoring, increasing AUKUS nations’ ability to detect, track, and identify objects in deep space, up to around 36,000 km away from earth. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the 3 nations on September 27, 2023.

The National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) is the consortium manager for the SpEC OTA. With the flexibility of the OTA, NSTXL was able to facilitate international collaboration for the DARC project. Through consistent cooperation between industry, government, and international partners, the DARC project is positioned to further secure the United States from foreign threats.

About SpEC

The Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) was created in 2017 to bridge the cultural gap between military buyers and commercial space startups and small businesses through Other Transaction Authorities (OTA).  The OTA innovative contracting process allows SpEC to solicit bids from a mix of member companies including companies that have not previously done work with the Department of Defense.  SSC recently awarded management of the SpEC OTA to NSTXL to expedite the contracting between government and industry.  NSTXL is focused on building a network of innovators and creators across the most sought-after emerging technology fields.