Flying out of Newark? Here’s the major safety upgrade now installed at the airport
⚠️ New radar system installed, designed to track planes and vehicles on the ground in all weather
✈️ The upgrade comes after years of equipment problems, staffing shortages and flight disruptions
➡️ More upgrades are planned through 2027
NEWARK — New Jersey's biggest airport just got a safety upgrade thanks to a new state-of-the-art radar system.
On Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was joined by Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford and Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Kathryn Garcia to tout Newark Liberty International Airport's new Surface Movement Radar.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the new equipment "will allow air traffic controllers to track aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways in all weather and visibility conditions."
The new radar system replaced the airport's 30-year-old system.
"This software will help us not fix the weather but help us safely navigate the weather and get more airplanes through it," Duffy said.
The system could help prevent a tragedy like the one that occurred earlier this year at LaGuardia Airport.
On March 22, a firetruck and an Air Canada regional jet collided as the plane was landing, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the deadly crash.
"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.
So far, the Surface Movement Radar has been installed at five airports nationwide, according to the FAA.
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New radar is one of several upgrades planned
The radar is one of several steps the Trump administration is taking to modernize the country's airport operations after a fatal midair collision outside of Washington, D.C., in January 2025, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump started his second term.
According to the FAA, Newark will receive $30 million for critical upgrades over the next three years. The funding is part of an overall $12.5 billion modernization package.
Some of the upgrades have already started, with Newark replacing "90% of its copper wiring with high-speed fiber to enhance communication," the FAA said.
Newark is also replacing its paper flight strips with electronic ones, according to the FAA.
By the end of summer 2027, the FAA said additional upgrades will be made at Newark, including new long-range radar that will help air traffic controllers determine aircraft position.
Trump administration recruits gamers
On Aug. 9, Duffy announced on X that the Trump administration had successfully met its goal of hiring more air traffic controllers. The solution? To recruit gamers.
According to Duffy, the campaign to attract gamers to the industry helped the administration meet over 90% of its hiring goal.
In April 2025, passengers traveling in and out of Newark experienced numerous flight delays and cancellations due to a number of factors, including radar equipment outages, runway construction and air traffic controller shortages. At one point, the number of arrivals and departures had to be reduced.
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