Serco has been awarded a five-year Ministry of Defence contract to continue operating, maintaining and sustaining the early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire, according to the company.
The contract, awarded by the National Armaments Director Group, covers the Solid State Phased Array Radar, or SSPAR, which forms part of the UK and US governments’ Upgraded Early Warning Radar network.
The new agreement will begin in April 2027 and includes an option for a further two-year extension.
RAF Fylingdales provides missile warning and space surveillance functions, with the radar designed to detect and track missiles as part of the US Missile Defence ground-based radar network. Serco provides continuous support at the site 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Under the new contract it will remain responsible for radar hardware, systems operation and maintenance, alongside analytical and training activities.
The company said the Fylingdales team is also involved in tracking objects in Low Earth Orbit. During 2025, the SSPAR completed more than 5.9 million tracks of satellites in Low Earth Orbit, with Serco personnel providing real-time analysis of satellite break-ups, re-entries, new launches and manoeuvres.
Anthony Kirby, Serco Group Chief Executive, said: “We are immensely proud of our dedicated team at RAF Fylingdales who are entrusted to seamlessly deliver this continuous service, helping to defend the nation and protect our skies.”
He added: “We have a long history over sixty years supporting the UK Space Command, US Space Force and the Royal Air Force at RAF Fylingdales, with our people at the heart of this critical infrastructure asset.”
Kirby said: “Our success in securing this contract reflects the strength of our expertise and growing capabilities in defence and builds on our recent strong momentum.”
The contract will also introduce a new Serco-developed analytical system known as the Enhanced Spacetrack Processor, or ESP. The software will be used to analyse large volumes of tracking data to determine the position, orbit and size of objects in Low Earth Orbit. Serco developed ESP with the Royal Air Force and UK Space Command. It will replace the United Kingdom Spacetrack Processor, another Serco-developed system which has been used for more than three decades.
The company will also provide apprenticeships during the contract period. These will include Level 3 opportunities for school and college leavers and Level 5 and 6 apprenticeships for existing employees. Serco has partnered with Teesside University and Redcar & Cleveland College to develop an apprenticeship specifically for RAF Fylingdales, covering skills and qualifications relevant to work at the site.
It was great foresight from the Blair governments to have Fylingdales owned and operated by the RAF instead of the USAF. Unfortunately it’s the kind of leverage that we may soon need to exercise.
“Hey Donald, nice ballistic missile defence system you got there, would be a shame if something happened to it” 😜
Ultimately it’s why all the nonsense in the media about the US supporting Argentina to retake the Falklands is bollocks, without the UK and its island bases like Ascensions, the Falklands, Cyprus and Diego Garcia the US space Force and NSA is f**ked.
The US UK relationship remains highly beneficial to both parties.
It was commissioned in1992 and it was under John Major at the time It followed on from the early 1960s agreement with the original Golf Ball Tracker Site.
Some major upgrades to the power supply and facilities were authorised under Maggie Including the allocation of funds to build the SSPAR in the 80s.
No The BMD radar was made under an agreement with the Bush Administration in 2003 and installed by 2007
“The Raytheon AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) at RAF Fylingdales was installed and completed around 2007 (with contract agreements starting from 2003 and testing/acceptance finalized in 2007).”
The Solid State Phased Array radar doesn’t have any moving parts.
It has 3 faces of transceivers, with built in redundancy.
Unserviceable Tx/Rx components can he removed and replaced, almost like changing a light bulb.
They did update the Computer System and Displays about 20 years ago.
The faces are solid and only a more updated transceiver component may have been installed.
No, the 132 was a tech update to the original 90’s SSPAR installation which replaced the golf balls. The operating agreements go all the way back to the original BMEWS site from the 60s.
Believe it’s the only 360 sensor in the network and caused a constant headache when selecting filming locations that didn’t have it in view for the TV show Heartbeat.
People do not know, as it is not commonly touted around is that GCHQ and NSA are so tightly woven it would be almost impossible to undo. Our military is very much the same.
I hear Donny and his war secretary refuse to believe it.
Correct, GCHQ NSA especially are hand in glove. NSA relies on GCHQ for some of it’s biggest feeds. Christ, GCHQ even ran the show a decade or so ago when Meade had a brain failure and died.
I worked there in the late 90s and was Serco from commissioning of the SSPAR. That Space Track Serco computer is around 30 years old.. The Ops Room has been updated with colour screens and a new Computer System from the USA.
That’s operated by the RAF.
Yes, No 2 Space Warning Squadron and a Flight of 9 Sqn RAF Police are the RAF elements.
Not sure if Support Sqn is RAF or a mix of RAF and Serco. I understand that the radar itself is paid for and owned by the US and the UK pay for it’s operation and staffing.
No RAF Police only MOD Police,as it is highly civilianised.
RAF Officers,the Ops Room Crew and some PMF are the only RAF.
USAF Liaison Officer,all the rest is basically Serco or other contractors for data links and Comms.
Comms and links was American Civilians from Westinghouse or a similar company.
I was there for 4 years and recently returned for the 30th anniversary of the SSPAR.
Interesting, thank you.
I knew of the MDP det, an obvious location for them, but the RAF own website lists Fylngdales as a location for 9 Sqn RAF P&SS flights, which was why I included it.
I thought the Rozzers were up at Boulmer now. Either way not a security force for the site.
Serco provide a really good service.
They are indeed, the squadrons though have detached Flights at most RAF Stations on a geographical basis.
I wouldn’t have thought so ,any heavily civilianised MOD site, always has MOD Police, never RAF Police.
Leeming would be the ideal place for them, not a location with around 50 RAF Personnel.
I have never heard of RAF Police in abundance being at Fylingdales.
Not enough accommodation and facilities for them either.
I presume good old SERCO are going to knock up a few HMOs there as well, maximise profits at the expense of the taxpayers! A few doctors/dentists/brain surgeons at Fylingdales will raise standards I’m sure!
This site has got to be a prime target so hope it has some counter drone protection and if need be a GBAD system could be deployed and plugged in?