ARC Raiders Cargo Elevator Antenna: Upgrade All 3 Fast

An ARC Raiders cargo elevator antenna showed up as a new HUD marker for a lot of players this week. It's not a bug. Update 1.40.0 added a limited-time project called Phantom Targets on August 4, 2026, and its first objective sends every Raider climbing onto an extraction platform they'd normally only use to leave a zone in a hurry.

This guide covers exactly what a cargo elevator antenna is, how to interact with one, which maps qualify, what the reward actually is, and what isn't confirmed yet about the objective. If you already know the basics of extraction and just want the elevator locations for a specific zone, the ARC Raiders Dam guide and Spaceport guide cover extraction-point placement in more detail than this piece does.

TL;DR: Phantom Targets is a limited-time project that launched with Update 1.40.0 on August 4, 2026, and runs through September 6, 2026. Stage 1 asks Raiders to upgrade 3 antennas found on top of Cargo Elevators across Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides. Climb the elevator's exterior and press E at the antenna near the top. Completing all 3 rewards a Combat Mk.3 Aggressive augment, a Heavy Shield, and a Vita Spray. Part 2 unlocks August 18, 2026, with Update 1.42.

What is an ARC Raiders cargo elevator antenna? (quick answer)

It's a new interactive object added to the game's existing Cargo Elevator extraction points as part of the Phantom Targets project. Each antenna sits on the elevator's rooftop or exterior support structure, separate from the extraction console below, and interacting with it counts toward a repair objective tied to the project's in-fiction investigator, Shani.

Key Takeaways

• Phantom Targets launched August 4, 2026 with Update 1.40.0, and runs through September 6, 2026
• Stage 1 needs 3 antenna interactions total, on any Cargo Elevator across Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, or Riven Tides
• No key or crafted item required: just climb up and press E at the antenna
• Stage 1 reward: Combat Mk.3 Aggressive augment, Heavy Shield, Vita Spray
• Part 2 unlocks August 18, 2026 with Update 1.42, and shifts toward ARC-combat objectives rather than more antennas
• It's a separate action from calling extraction: the antenna and the elevator's normal extraction console are two different interactions on the same structure

Overview: what is the Phantom Targets project?

Phantom Targets is a Raider Project, Embark's term for a limited-time objective track layered on top of normal ARC Raiders runs. The framing, according to Embark's official patch notes, is that Speranza's investigator character Shani has picked up "discrepant surveillance data" and needs Raiders to fix the antennas responsible so she can triangulate the source. Embark's own ARC Raiders account on X confirmed the same framing at launch, describing the antennas as "spotted on Shani's radar."

Mechanically, the project has two parts. Part 1 went live with Update 1.40.0 on August 4, 2026, and its first stage is the antenna objective this guide covers. Part 2, according to Embark's own announcement, unlocks with Update 1.42 on August 18, 2026. The whole project is scheduled to close on September 6, 2026, so there's a real window here, not an indefinite grind.

If you're new to ARC Raiders entirely and haven't run an extraction yet, the ARC Raiders beginner guide covers gear slots and zone tiers before you worry about a side objective like this one.

GODEEPER: Most players are running this objective at Dam Battlegrounds first. The full breakdown covers loot routes, patrol timing, and every extraction point on the map. ARC Raiders Dam Guide: Loot, Patrols & Extractions →

Step-by-Step: how to upgrade a cargo elevator antenna

1. Pick a zone with a Cargo Elevator. Three maps are eligible for this objective: Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides. Any Cargo Elevator on any of those three maps counts, and it doesn't have to be the same map for all 3 antennas.

2. Head to the elevator, not the console. The extraction console (the one you press E on to call your ride) is a separate object from the antenna. The antenna sits higher up, on the elevator's exterior structure or rooftop.

3. Climb up. Get onto the structure using the same mantle and climb interactions you'd use on any other terrain feature. Guides tracking the objective since launch describe this as the elevator's "outer section," not the interior platform you stand on to extract.

4. Interact with the antenna. Press E (Square on PS5, X on Xbox/Series X|S) once you're at the antenna itself. That single interaction upgrades it.

5. Repeat twice more. You need 3 total. Do all 3 on the same map in one raid if you can reach multiple elevators, or spread them across separate runs. Either counts.

6. Check your project progress. The Phantom Targets tracker in your inventory or project menu shows how many of the 3 you've completed.

One thing worth being upfront about: it isn't confirmed anywhere in Embark's patch notes or the wiki whether interacting with an antenna also triggers the same zone-wide alarm a normal cargo elevator call does. Treat the climb like any other exposed position on an active extraction point, clear the immediate area first, and don't assume the antenna interaction is silent just because it's a different button prompt than the one you're used to.

Which maps have cargo elevator antennas

Dam Battlegrounds. The ARC Raiders Dam guide already documents multiple cargo elevator extraction points split between the plant interior and exterior. Several early Phantom Targets write-ups point to this zone first, since its elevator density makes it easier to knock out more than one antenna in a single raid without a long cross-map walk.

Spaceport. Acerra Spaceport's extraction layout is spread across open terrain, so getting between elevators takes longer, but the zone has enough Cargo Elevator points that it's still a viable single-map route.

Riven Tides. The coastal zone's elevated extraction platforms qualify too. This is the map where the climb itself is most likely to expose you for longer, since Riven Tides' verticality was built around slower, more deliberate movement between points.

Elevated terrain like this is exactly what an antenna climb exposes you to: good visibility for you, but you're also visible to anyone below.

Rewards for completing Phantom Targets Stage 1

Finishing all 3 antenna interactions rewards a Combat Mk.3 Aggressive augment, a Heavy Shield, and a Vita Spray, based on the reward breakdown tracked by the ARC Raiders wiki's Phantom Targets page. The augment is the standout item here: it slots into the same Combat frame system the ARC Raiders augments guide covers in more depth, and an Aggressive-tagged Mk.3 is a meaningfully better roll than what most players have crafted or found this early into a season.

A Heavy Shield and a Vita Spray are both useful on their own, but neither is rare enough on its own to be the reason to prioritize this objective over a normal loot run. The augment is.

What happens next: Phantom Targets Part 2

Part 2 arrives with Update 1.42 on August 18, 2026, confirmed directly in Embark's own Store Update 1.40.0 announcement. What isn't confirmed yet: the exact objectives. Guides tracking the game's datamined project files describe two further stages built around ARC combat, things like dealing fire damage, destroying flying ARC with launcher ammunition, and taking down high-tier machines with energy weapons, rather than more antenna climbing. Those specifics haven't shown up in an official Embark patch note as of this writing, so treat them as early tracking rather than confirmed fact until Update 1.42 actually lands.

GODEEPER: Want to know what the Combat Mk.3 Aggressive augment actually does once it's in your loadout, and which frames it pairs best with? ARC Raiders Augments Guide: Best Frames Ranked →

Tips

Don't split your antennas across a contested lobby. If ARC units or other Raiders are already converging on a Cargo Elevator, the climb takes long enough that you're a stationary target the whole time. Finish looting first, then approach the elevator with your squad already positioned to cover the climb.

A large ARC unit like this is the kind of threat that can turn an antenna climb into a wipe if you haven't cleared the area first.

Dam Battlegrounds rewards efficiency more than the other two maps. Multiple elevator points sitting close together means one good raid can finish the entire objective, instead of needing 2 or 3 separate runs.

Don't forget the storm. Electromagnetic storm conditions reduce the total number of active extraction points on a map. If you're specifically hunting antennas during a storm run, confirm your target elevator is actually active before committing a loot route to reach it.

Check your progress before you extract. The project tracker updates immediately after each successful interaction, so there's no reason to guess whether an antenna registered. If it didn't, some players on r/ArcRaiders have reported the interaction occasionally failing to register on the first try. Interact again before climbing down.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cargo elevator antenna in ARC Raiders? It's a repair objective added in Update 1.40.0's Phantom Targets project. Faulty antennas sit on top of the game's Cargo Elevator extraction points, and Raiders climb up and interact with them to help investigator Shani triangulate a mysterious signal.

How do you upgrade a cargo elevator antenna in ARC Raiders? Find any Cargo Elevator extraction point, climb onto the structure's exterior, and press E (Square on PS5, X on Xbox) at the antenna near the top. You need 3 total, on any combination of eligible maps, to finish Stage 1.

Which maps have cargo elevator antennas for Phantom Targets? Three maps qualify: Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Riven Tides. Any Cargo Elevator on those maps counts, so all 3 antennas can come from one map or be spread across separate raids.

What do you get for finishing Phantom Targets Stage 1? Upgrading all 3 cargo elevator antennas rewards a Combat Mk.3 Aggressive augment, a Heavy Shield, and a Vita Spray healing item, according to the ARC Raiders wiki's project tracker.

When does ARC Raiders Phantom Targets end? Phantom Targets launched with Update 1.40.0 on August 4, 2026, and the full project runs through September 6, 2026, per Embark's official Store Update 1.40.0 patch notes.

What is Phantom Targets Part 2 in ARC Raiders? Part 2 unlocks with Update 1.42 on August 18, 2026, according to Embark's official announcement. Exact objectives aren't confirmed yet, though early wiki tracking points to ARC-combat stages rather than more antenna climbs.

Related Reading

• ARC Raiders Extraction Guide: All 4 Types Explained: The full breakdown of how Cargo Elevators, airshafts, metro stations, and Raider Hatches actually work as extraction points.
• ARC Raiders Anti-Cheat: Kernel-Level Testing Begins: ARC Raiders anti-cheat testing begins with kernel-level detection, targeting cheats that EAC alone can't catch.
• ARC Raiders Other Raiders: Survive Player Encounters: ARC Raiders other Raiders guide: how to avoid, outmaneuver, and survive contested extractions. Extraction types
• ARC Raiders Endgame Guide: Trials, Expeditions & Season 4: ARC Raiders endgame starts at purple loadout: Trials scoring thresholds, Season 4 challenge breakdowns, Expeditions,
• ARC Raiders Maps Guide: Zone-by-zone overview if you haven't decided which map to run this objective on yet.

References

• ARC Raiders on Steam: official store page
• Store Update 1.40.0 official patch notes: Embark Studios' own announcement confirming Phantom Targets, Shani, and the August 4 to September 6 project timeline
• ARC Raiders on X: Phantom Targets announcement: official studio account confirming Part 1 launch timing
• Phantom Targets - ARC Raiders Wiki: community-maintained project tracker with stage and reward details
• ARC Raiders Dam guide
• ARC Raiders extraction guide