Newark Airport Gets New Radar, but DOT Seeks $10B for Additional Upgrades

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford share latest progress on the multibillion-dollar effort.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Bryan Bedford (from left), FAA administrator, Sean Duffy, U.S. transportation secretary, Kevin O’Toole, chair of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and Kathryn Garcia, executive director of PANYNJ, inaugurate a new radar at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR). [Credit: Jack Daleo]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. officials inaugurated a new surface movement radar at Newark Liberty International Airport and requested at least $10 billion in additional funding for ongoing air traffic control (ATC) modernization, aiming for a 2028 completion.
The modernization program includes extensive infrastructure upgrades across 50 states, such as replacing old radar systems and upgrading telecommunications wiring, with significant progress reported across various initiatives.
A key component of the upgrades is the development and upcoming deployment of SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories), an AI-powered system designed to predict airspace conditions, enhance capacity, and provide new tools for controllers.
The FAA has also hired 4,000 new air traffic controllers to address staffing shortages and support the modernized National Airspace System, with many currently undergoing training.

See a mistake? Contact us.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on Monday inaugurated a new surface movement radar (SMR) at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR). But the officials are seeking at least $10 billion more for further air traffic control (ATC) upgrades.

Duffy has previously requested $19 billion in addition to the $12.5 billion allocated by Congress to the effort in 2025. In July, the Modern Skies Coalition, a group of aviation stakeholders led by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), called on Congress to allocate another $20 billion.