New Radar Installed at Newark Airport for Air Traffic Control Upgrades

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey has taken a significant step towards modernising its air traffic control infrastructure with the installation of a new Surface Movement Radar system. ## Upgrading Air Traffic Control Infrastructure The new Surface Movement Radar (SMR) system replaces radar that had been in service at Newark for around 30 years. It enables air traffic controllers to monitor aircraft and vehicles operating on runways and taxiways in a range of weather and visibility conditions. The SMR system is part of a broader programme of infrastructure upgrades at the airport, which is due to receive $30 million over the next three years through funding associated with the Trump administration's Working Families Tax Cuts. The new radar is the fifth SMR-4 system to be installed in the US. It forms part of a wider programme to modernise air traffic control infrastructure across the country. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency has replaced 60% of its copper wiring, converted 363 radio sites, installed 96 Surface Awareness Initiative systems, moved 19 towers to electronic flight strips, and installed 151 IP voice switches at control towers over the past year. ## Improving Safety and Efficiency The new radar is intended to provide controllers with improved visibility of movements on the airport's runways and taxiways as Newark continues to handle more than 1,000 flights a day. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said that the new system is part of a broader effort to deliver real safety and efficiency enhancements at one of the nation's busiest airports. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford added that the new radar will help controllers keep flights safe at this major U.S. hub. The installation of the new radar is just one of several upgrades planned for the airport by the end of summer 2027. These include electronic information displays for controllers, new voice switches for communication with pilots and other air traffic facilities, and a new long-range radar system. The FAA has also highlighted a number of measures introduced at Newark following significant delays during summer 2025, including a software update intended to address system glitches and prevent outages, accelerated installation of fibre-optic communications infrastructure, and changes to flight volumes to better align with available controller staffing. The upgrades at Newark are part of a wider effort to usher in the Golden Age of Travel for American passengers. As the airport continues to handle a high volume of flights, the new radar and other upgrades will help to improve safety and efficiency, making the travel experience better for passengers.