British join the DARC side in push to militarise Space

Written by: Nick G. on 30 September 2026

 

British imperialism announced two days ago that it was establishing its third space squadron capable of taking offensive and defensive space missions, according to Harv Symth, UK Chief of the Air Staff.

The announcement comes almost immediately after the US imperialists announced that they had already placed weapons in Space.

Britain currently has the No. 1 Space Ops Squadron that teams with the National Space Operations Centre to track hazardous objects, and the No. 2 Space Warning Squadron, established to provide missile warning and space tracking capabilities. Neither is equipped with weapons.

However, the 3rd squadron will be equipped with weapons in space.

“To help our nation fulfil the control of space requirement, UK defence is now developing capabilities for orbital warfare,” Smyth said.

This is the second imperialist power to openly commit to “orbital warfare”. 

The Russian and Chinese imperialists have sought prohibitions on the placement of weapons in space, but must be assumed to be developing their own in competition with the US and UK.

Australian complicity in UK-US plans

Australia, meanwhile, is busy praising the Lord and passing the ammunition, providing facilities that serve US and UK space war operations.

One of those facilities is the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) at Exmouth in WA. It was completed in December 2024. 

U.S. Space Force Guardians from Mission Delta 2 and the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron, headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, currently operate the Australian sensor under an early-use agreement.

In December 2023, top defence officials from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia announced a raft of new initiatives associated with the AUKUS security pact’s second pillar. Included in the new items is an announcement that the US, Australia and the UK are creating a joint radar network for enhancing space domain awareness, with each home to one of three planned sites for the US Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC). 

“In the coming years, our nations will be creating a global radar network, bringing together three ground base stations, one in each of our countries,” U.K. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said. “Radars more sensitive, more accurate, more powerful and agile than anything that has gone before giving us the ability to see beyond the clouds to detect, identify and track in space, up to 22,000 miles away.” 

DARC is being developed under US Space Force leadership by Northrop Grumman under a February 2022 contract to provide global monitoring of geosynchronous orbit 24/7 in all kinds of weather and during daylight. The trilateral network is apart from but will support Pillar II of the AUKUS agreement, and help the allies keep tabs on Chinese and Russian satellites and spacecraft.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the DARC program sits at “the cornerstone” of Britain’s space capability.

The UK selected the Cawdor Barracks site in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for its DARC base. It has planning approval but is the subject of strong community opposition.  

The US Space Force announced on September 9 that it had selected Lake Kickapoo (seriously!) in Texas as the site for its DARC base. It is intended to begin construction next year and become operational in 2030.

The demand to keep weapons out of space, to prevent orbital warfare, and to withdraw from the US “Alliance” must be heard in our unions, community organisations and political movements.

For anti-imperialist independence and socialism, no weapons in space!

 

Further reading: CPA (M-L) booklet "Fight the Militarisation of Space" 

 

 

Print Version - new window Email article

-----

Go back