The EISCAT Scientific Association is currently building EISCAT_3D, the most advanced 3-dimensional imaging radar for atmospheric, ionospheric and near-Earth space investigations. EISCAT_3D is a European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Landmark in the Environment domain.

The fully steerable, tri-static, phased-array incoherent scatter radar is located in Skibotn (inland from Tromsø, Norway), Karesuvanto (Finland, north of Kiruna), and Kaiseniemi (Sweden, west of Kiruna). The transmit-receive array at Skibotn consists of about 10,000 aerials and ten 91-aerial outrigger receivers in the immediate vicinity. The receive-only arrays of Kaiseniemi and Karesuvanto consist of about 5,000 aerials each.

Construction of the facility began after the project kick-off in September 2017. First test measurements have been carried out with a single "antenna unit", which consists of 91 crossed-dipole aerials. The next step will be the so-called "PET-7" system, which consists of seven antenna units with full transmit and receive capabilities. PET-7, with 637 aerials with 1 kW power each, will allow for mono-static incoherent scatter radar measurements. Thereafter, EISCAT_3D will gradually expand to fully tri-static operations.

EISCAT_3D will eventually replace the EISCAT mainland radars, i.e. the 930-MHz UHF radar and the 224-MHz VHF radar at Tromsø. The remote receivers at Sodankylä (Finland) and Kiruna (Sweden) are already inoperable due to failures not feasible to repair.

There will be a transition period during which both EISCAT_3D and the UHF and VHF radars will hopefully be available – if at all financially possible – allowing for comparison studies and offering unique opportunities for research.

The EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) and the Ionospheric Heating facility at Tromsø will not be affected by EISCAT_3D becoming operational.