Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey inaugurated the new generation “Surface Movement Radar” (SMR-4) on August 11. This radar allows air traffic controllers to instantly track the movements of aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways in darkness, adverse weather conditions, and poor visibility situations, thereby reducing the risks of runway incursions and ground collisions.
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean P. Duffy, and the Director of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Bryan Bedford, attended the inauguration ceremony. SMR-4 marks the 5th set of its kind in the United States and will replace the old radar system that Newark has been using for about 30 years. Duffy described the new radar as adding an extra set of “eyes” for controllers – even in limited visibility scenarios, it assists in managing airport ground traffic.
Newark Airport handles over 1,000 flights daily, making it one of the busiest aviation hubs in the United States. Enhancing the situational awareness on the ground is crucial for safety and flight operations. Apart from bolstering runway safety, SMR-4 helps controllers more accurately pinpoint the locations of aircraft and vehicles, thereby improving ground operations efficiency.
This update is part of the modernization plan for Newark Airport’s air traffic control system. The U.S. Department of Transportation will invest $30 million over the next 3 years for critical infrastructure and air traffic control equipment upgrades. About 90% of the outdated copper cables have already been replaced with high-speed fiber optics, and paper flight strips are gradually being replaced with electronic systems. FAA plans to install electronic information displays, voice exchange systems, and long-range radars before the end of summer 2027.
The upgrades will extend nationwide. FAA intends to deploy 53 sets of SMR-4 at 44 of the busiest airports, gradually replacing outdated ground monitoring equipment and synchronously updating communication and other air traffic control infrastructure. The agency is also exploring the use of technologies like artificial intelligence to assist controllers in lightening their workload, although critical aviation safety determinations remain the responsibility of professionals.
Newark Airport has experienced air traffic communication and equipment issues in recent years, leading to flight delays, raising concerns about the reliability of aging aviation infrastructure. In March this year, LaGuardia Airport witnessed a tragic runway collision between a Canadian airliner and a rescue vehicle, resulting in two pilots’ deaths and multiple injuries. This incident once again underscored the significance of managing ground traffic at busy airports. However, FAA emphasizes that the modernization project at Newark Airport was already planned and not a response to the LaGuardia incident.
As Newark Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport successively update their air traffic control and ground monitoring equipment, the aviation traffic management system in the New York metropolitan area is expected to further modernize, balancing aviation safety and flight operation efficiency.