The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is proposing to redevelop Cawdor Barracks as the UK host site for the DARC radar programme.
In December 2023 the United Kingdom, United States and Australia announced the creation of the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) programme. DARC will enable detection, identification, and tracking of objects in Earth orbit. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is proposing to house the UK DARC site at the former Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire and to refurbish the site to accommodate new DARC facilities.
Between February and March 2026, the MOD ran a public consultation on the DARC project. Throughout the consultation, submissions from the public were reviewed for incorporation into the formal planning application.
In April 2026, a planning application was submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council for the installation of the radar antennas and associated buildings and infrastructure. In July 2026, Welsh Ministers issued direction that the planning application should be determined by them rather than Pembrokeshire County Council. The MOD continues to support the national decision-making process.
Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability Pre-Application Consultation
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About DARC
DARC will form the cornerstone of the UK’s Space Domain Awareness capability. This includes detecting, identifying and tracking objects in Earth orbit, including satellites, space debris, and asteroids. This is essential for ensuring our continued ability to safely and securely operate space-based services. This includes satellites which are used to provide critical infrastructure support in the UK, as laid out in the Government’s UK Space Strategy.
DARC will support the continued operation of critical space infrastructure that enables commerce, utility logistics, weather forecasting, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and national resilience; as well as everyday user services, such as as navigation, broadband internet, satellite cellular and timekeeping.
The MOD is proposing to house the main UK contribution to DARC at the Cawdor Barracks site in Pembrokeshire. The use of three sites around the world for DARC (in the UK, US and Australia) will enable 360 degree coverage of the sky at all times of day and under any weather conditions, something that is not currently possible. The UK’s contribution to this project is therefore crucial to the national resilience of the UK and its allies.
The MOD’s proposal would see the Cawdor Barracks site remain operational beyond the original planned closure date of 2028. DARC’s presence will provide employment and upskilling opportunities within the local community across all sectors. These will include operations and operations management, information and technology and high-performance computing, HR, logistics, and facilities.
DARC aerial view showing a layout of the radar antennae on the disused airfield alongside the existing buildings at Cawdor Barracks. MOD Crown Copyright.
What is non-ionising radiation?
DARC will bounce radio waves off objects in space to detect, track, and characterise them.
The radio waves used by DARC are non-ionising radiation. They are not hazardous to health because they do not have enough energy to cause harmful ionisation. Radio waves are used in a wide variety of household devices including mobile phones, WiFi and GPS.
Additionally, MOD safety processes will ensure that DARC meets or exceeds international environmental and health standards for non-ionising radiation including those set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Levels of non-ionising radiation in the area surrounding the DARC site would be less than or equal to that received from using a mobile phone, presenting no danger to members of the public in the area.
Public engagement
The MOD conducted a public pre-application consultation for its proposed Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) site at Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire. This statutory pre-application consultation was undertaken in accordance with the Planning (Wales) Act 2015.
This consultation opened at 11:59pm on 23 February 2026 and concluded at 11:59pm on 23 March 2026. The MOD reviewed all responses submitted to this consultation. The pre-application consultation period provided the opportunity for stakeholders and the wider community to review the proposal and submit feedback prior to the submission of the planning application.
Following the progression of the design process, the MOD has undertaken an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with the support of independent subject matter experts. The EIA is a detailed study that evaluates the potential effects of the proposed development on the environment and ensures that environmental matters are fully considered in the planning process.
What happens next?
The MOD reviewed all feedback received from stakeholders and the community. This feedback was considered alongside the findings of the EIA and other technical studies to refine the proposal. The MOD submitted a formal application to Pembrokeshire County Council in 2026, including all supporting documentation and a summary of the feedback received during the consultation and how it has been addressed. Welsh Ministers have directed that a decision on the application will be made by the Welsh Government. The MOD continues to support the Welsh national process.
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Related information
National Space Strategy
Defence Space Strategy
New deep space radar will transform UK security