A 30-year-old radar system at Newark International Airport has officially been replaced with a new one that will allow for improved tracking and guidance during any and all weather conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week it had replaced Newark’s older radar system with new Surface Movement Radar Model-4 technology, the fifth airport in the country to receive the upgrade.
According to the DOT, SMR-4 allows air traffic controllers to track aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways regardless of weather or visibility conditions.
It’s a significant update at one of the busiest airports in the U.S., which has been plagued by operational challenges, outdated systems and widespread staffing shortages that previously caused the Federal Aviation Administration to institute a stricter limit on the number of arrivals and departures from Newark.
The upgraded radar is part of the Department of Transportation and Secretary Sean Duffy’s ongoing initiatives, which have been given the unsurprising and on-the-nose moniker: “Golden Age of Travel.”
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“Since the start of this administration, we have been working towards building a modern system that will serve America’s skies for generations,” Duffy said in a release from the FAA. “From replacing Newark’s ancient copper wire to investing $30 million into new infrastructure and bringing new radar online, we are delivering real safety and efficiency enhancements at one of our nation’s busiest airports.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford echoed the sentiment from the Transportation Secretary and repeated the “Golden Age of Travel” slogan to describe these improvements.
Of that $30 million in federal funds that Duffy promised to the Newark International Airport, other improvements include new electronic information displays for air-traffic controller, new voice switches to help controllers communicate with pilots and other facilities, and new long-range radar for tracking aircraft positions.
“Newark sees well-over a thousand flights per day, and the new Surface Movement Radar will help controllers keep those flights safe at this major U.S. hub,” Bedford said.
Those upgrades are tentatively scheduled to be completed by the end of next summer.
Newark airport has had myriad issues in recent years
The Newark International Airport has struggled mightily since Duffy and President Donald Trump began took over the Department of Transportation in early 2025.
Outdated copper-wire communications systems, recurring air traffic control outages, runway construction and air traffic control staffing shortages that are among the worst in the nation.
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The chronic issues resulted in massive delays and ground stops, and major carriers cut back on routes in and out of the airport. International headlines about the challenges plaguing Newark were lampooned in a Saturday Night Live music video starring Scarlett Johansson, Bad Bunny and Please Don’t Destroy.
Many of those operational and technological issues have been resolved or eased, Department of Transportation officials said.
A software patch was rolled out to fix recurring glitches and outages, copper wiring was replaced with new fiber optics cables, and runway construction was completed “ahead of schedule.” Flight volume has been modified and “rebalanced” to align with current air traffic staffing levels, which may be interpreted as a win.
The focus on Newark has resulted in better on-time departures and arrivals, officials said.
In the past year, the DOT has replaced more than half of copper wires at airports the country, converted 363 radio sites, and improved voice switches and surface awareness initiative systems.
The improvements, according to the FAA, are being rolled out “at the speed of Trump.”
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