UK Reviews Australia’s CEAFAR Radar for Royal Navy Ships

The UK is examining the possible use of Australia’s CEAFAR active phased array radar on Royal Navy ships and land-based systems as part of its future hybrid fleet.

The United Kingdom is examining the possible use of Australia’s CEAFAR active phased array (AESA) radar technology on Royal Navy ships and in land-based applications as part of its future hybrid fleet concept. The development was covered by Navy Lookout, Naval Technology, and UK Defence Journal in August 2026.

The move follows a June 2026 Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations meeting, at which the two governments agreed to expand cooperation on CEA’s AESA technology, with the scope potentially extending from joint development to joint production.

Visit and Formal Steps

UK Minister for Defence Procurement Luke Pollard visited CEA Technologies’ Canberra facility during an Australia-New Zealand tour in August 2026, underscoring the growing technical cooperation between the two countries.

The process is currently advancing through a statement of intent between the UK Ministry of Defence, the Australian Department of Defence, CEA, and QinetiQ. This statement is intended to establish a framework for examining potential UK applications of the technology.

About CEAFAR and the Technology

CEAFAR is an active phased array radar notable for its innovative microwave tile-based design, offering full three-dimensional multi-function tracking and detection capability. The system is already fitted to the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigates, and variants of the CEAFAR family have also been selected for Australia’s future Hunter-class frigates.

Strategic Dimension

The review process places the UK in a delicate position. Adopting CEAFAR carries a risk of sidelining the UK’s own sovereign radar development capability in favor of an Australian technology. However, analysts frame the move within the context of Australia being one of the UK’s closest defense industrial partners outside the United States. Defense industrial cooperation already deepening under the AUKUS framework could expand further through this potential radar collaboration.

The Royal Navy’s future hybrid fleet concept aims to bring different ship classes, with varying sizes and mission profiles, under a common sensor and command architecture. A modular, scalable radar family like CEAFAR could allow the hybrid fleet to establish a standardized sensor base across multiple ship classes.