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U.S. Space Force Activates Lockheed’s Next-Gen Radar for Advanced Deep-Space Missile Warning.
The U.S. Space Force has formally accepted Lockheed Martin's Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station after completion of Missile Defense Agency testing. The decision strengthens the national missile warning and tracking architecture at a time of rising long-range threat activity.
On December 8, 2025, the U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command announced the operational acceptance of the Lockheed Martin–built Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station, following extensive operational test activities conducted by the Missile Defense Agency. As reported by the U.S. Space Force and CFC operational headquarters, the radar is now formally integrated into the U.S. missile warning, tracking and targeting mission set, marking a decisive step in strengthening homeland defense. Lockheed Martin confirmed the completion of DD250 final acceptance and system handover to MDA, underscoring the maturity of the radar program and its readiness to support national missile defense missions.
The U.S. Space Force has formally activated Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Discrimination Radar, integrating it into the national missile warning and defense network as a new cornerstone sensor for tracking and discriminating long-range ballistic missile threats (Picture Source: U.S. Space Force)
The LRDR’s architecture stands at the center of its operational role. Developed by Lockheed Martin as a solid-state S-band radar incorporating gallium nitride technology and an active electronically scanned array, it is engineered to deliver the high sensitivity and reliability required for continuous long-range surveillance. According to the company, this configuration enables the radar to support simultaneous search, track and discrimination functions across a broad field of view. As outlined by the U.S. Space Force, LRDR provides precision discrimination by distinguishing lethal objects from non-lethal ones in a congested operating environment, producing track, discrimination and hit-assessment data for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense fire-control system through the C2BMC network. Its fixed-site, multi-face construction at Clear Space Force Station ensures persistent coverage without the need for mechanical rotation.
The radar’s operational acceptance by Combat Forces Command formally integrates the Lockheed Martin–produced Long Range Discrimination Radar into the U.S. Space Force’s Missile Warning, Tracking and Targeting mission, establishing it as a frontline sensor for long-range threat detection and discrimination. According to the Space Force, this acceptance follows the Missile Defense Agency’s completion of the system’s operational trial period, and it marks the transition of LRDR from developmental oversight to full operational employment. Preparations are now underway to activate the radar’s second mission area, Space Domain Awareness, with the Space Force indicating that SDA certification will occur after additional integration, evaluation and testing with national space defense centers and the C2BMC enterprise.
Daily operation of the radar will be executed by Mission Delta 4, led by the 7th Space Warning Squadron at Clear Space Force Station, with remote operational support from Space Operations Centers at Beale Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain. While the Space Force assumes responsibility for operational command and system stewardship, the Missile Defense Agency will continue to manage research, modernization and long-term sustainment to ensure the radar evolves in step with future mission requirements. This shared framework reflects the radar’s role as both a missile defense asset and a foundational sensor for broader Space Force mission areas.
With its integration into the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense architecture, LRDR significantly enhances the ability to deliver timely, precise and discrimination-quality data to missile defense operators. Combat Forces Command highlights that the radar’s ability to distinguish lethal objects from non-lethal debris in a congested environment strengthens national decision-making for long-range ballistic missile engagements and directly supports interceptor effectiveness. The command describes the radar’s operational acceptance as a substantial improvement in the United States’ homeland defense posture, providing a new level of fidelity and reliability within the national missile warning enterprise.
Beyond missile warning, the radar’s dual-mission design enables it to transition seamlessly into supporting Space Domain Awareness once all certification milestones are met. The Space Force notes that this added role will allow LRDR to contribute to the characterization and monitoring of objects in the space environment from a single fixed location, expanding its utility beyond terrestrial defense and reinforcing the service’s multi-domain sensing architecture.
LRDR’s operational acceptance therefore marks a critical milestone in the modernization of U.S. homeland defense infrastructure. Its long-range discrimination capability, integration with C2BMC and GMD, and forthcoming SDA role position the Lockheed Martin radar as a central component of the nation’s strategic sensor network. As underscored by Combat Forces Command, the system enhances early-warning capacity, improves the precision of threat assessment and strengthens the United States’ ability to maintain an effective defensive posture against long-range ballistic missile threats.