Outdated Tech Leaves US Airports Vulnerable: Newark Airport's Second Major Glitch in Two Weeks
Significant Cybersecurity Incident Reported at Newark Airport Near New York City
Talk about a deja vu for the skies! It seems the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has got some serious explaining to do, as another glitch has occurred at Newark Airport, just west of New York City. Late last week, flight controllers found themselves struggling to communicate with pilots of arriving and departing planes for a whole 90 seconds. This, naturally, wrecked havoc on radar screens and ground communication systems.
Now, you might remember a similar debacle two weeks ago, where a similar outage led to the cancellation of numerous flights. In response, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made headlines by announcing a thorough revamp of the outdated US air traffic control system. Comprising technology from the 60s, the system is set to undergo a complete upgrade by 2028.
As one of three airports serving the NYC metro area, Newark Liberty International Airport is no stranger to congestion. Safety in air travel is a hot topic these days, especially after the deadliest US plane crash since 2009 took place at the US capital's national airport in late January. A passenger plane collided with a military helicopter, claiming the lives of 67 individuals.
Dive a bit deeper, and you'll find that the modernization plan unveiled by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in May 2025 is more than just a bold step towards safety. It's a comprehensive approach that aims to replace the current antiquated infrastructure over a three to four-year period. In the pipeline is state-of-the-art fiber, wireless, and satellite technology that will be integrated across over 4,600 air traffic control sites, which throws in approximately 25,000 new radios, over 600 new radars, and 475 new voice switches to vastly improve safety and efficiency.
The plan addresses outdated technology head-on by phasing out legacy systems, some pieces of which still depend on floppy disks—yes, you heard that right! The idea is to create a unified network through the use of modern hardware and software platforms, replacing infrastructure and systems that haven’t undergone significant upgrades in decades. By doing so, both cybersecurity and operational reliability will undoubtedly see notable improvements.
The initiative carries a hefty price tag, with the Transportation Secretary requesting full upfront funding from Congress. Support for the plan is widespread, extending to organizations such as the National Transportation Safety Board, Airlines Pilot Association, and Airlines for America. All point to the urgent necessity of these updates.
In a nutshell, security issues at Newark Airport have added fuel to the fire in the push for the modernization of the US air traffic control system. The revamp plan, unveiled in May 2025, is a sweeping, multi-faceted approach that aims to replace outdated technologies with cutting-edge fiber optics, satellite, and wireless communication technology, revolutionary new radars, and modernized control centers and towers. Altogether, these efforts aim to significantly boost the safety, efficiency, and resilience of the nation's air traffic control infrastructure within a few years.
- The technician at Newark Airport is dealing with yet another security breach, echoing the outage experienced two weeks ago.
- In response to the glitch, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a plan to upgrade the outdated US air traffic control system, which includes technology from the 60s.
- The recent events at Newark Airport, classified under general-news and crime-and-justice, have highlighted the need for modernizing technology, and members of the Federal Aviation Administration will have some explaining to do.
- The plan, which was unveiled in May 2025, includes integrating state-of-the-art fiber, wireless, and satellite technology, as well as replacing over 25,000 radios and 600 radars, among other upgrades.
- With the hefty price for the modernization plan, support for funding has been widespread, including the National Transportation Safety Board, Airlines Pilot Association, and Airlines for America, emphasizing the urgent necessity of these updates.
