Public consultation ahead of planning application for DARC deep space radar scheme launched.

The early stage of official plans for a deep-space radar site at Pembrokeshire’s Cawdor barracks, Brawdy, have been published ahead of a formal planning application.

In a pre-application consultation, The Ministry of Defence wants to install 27 radar antenna and a long list of associated works at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy.

The pre-application consultation on the UK Government website, runs up to March 23, with the MOD intending to submit a formal planning application to Pembrokeshire County Council after that date.

Proposals for a worldwide network of sensors called the Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) to track active satellites and other objects, and the Brawdy connection, first came to light locally when a scoping opinion request was made by the MoD to the council back in 2023, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The scheme would utilise three sites worldwide, in the USA, the UK and Australia “enabling 360-degree coverage of the sky at all times of day and under any weather conditions”.

In late 2023, Cawdor Barracks was identified as the preferred UK site by the-then UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps.

Campaign group PARC (Pembrokeshire Against Radar Campaign) Against DARC has previously described the proposals as a “monument to the needless, sabre-rattling, expansionist vanity project that is the United States’ lurch into an attempt to dominate all of space, against the stated wishes of almost every nation in the UN”.

A supporting statement accompanying the pre-application consultation, through Montagu Evans LLP says: “The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability proposal will enhance the UK’s ability to detect, identify, and track objects in Earth orbit, including satellites, space debris, and potential threats.

“This capability is vital for ensuring the resilience of UK space systems, enabling the UK to secure attribution, maintain stability and provide information for managing emerging challenges. Fundamentally, the project forms a key site that will support wider international space traffic management and enhance collective international security.

“As part of the ongoing investment into this domain, the UK has been working with its allies to identify a location for a new deep space monitoring facility to protect and defend both military and civilian infrastructure that supports our way of life.”

It says there is a risk of collisions in the near-30,000 space objects in orbit which could theoretically create a chain reaction that “could substantially increase the risk that [satellite] communications are impossible”.

It adds that, as well as the civilian importance of satellite technology, “there is the strategic importance of secure communication for command-and-control activities undertaken by the UK military,” adding: “This not only serves to support operations for and with our allies across the globe, but also the day-to-day security of the nation.”

It goes on to say: “The proposed DARC project will form a cornerstone of the UK’s ability to detect, identify, and track objects in Earth orbit, including satellites, space debris, and asteroids. This capability is critical to protect and defend the services provided by satellites, ensuring continuity and resilience against collisions or debris-related incidents.

“Without DARC, the UK faces a significant risk of losing access to these vital services, which would have severe consequences for national security, economic stability, and public safety.”