The Federal Aviation Administration has installed Surface Movement Radar Model 4 systems at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, while also awarding AT&T an initial $74.3 million contract for communications work linked to its network modernisation programme. The radar upgrades improve surface surveillance for aircraft and vehicles in low-visibility conditions, while the telecoms award begins work on the backbone for a broader overhaul of FAA operations.
The two airport installations form part of a wider push to strengthen runway-incursion prevention and air traffic control safety systems at busy hubs. Newark’s SMR-4 became the fifth such deployment nationwide, and Washington National received its own unit shortly after. The radar rollout is expected to continue across other high-traffic airports as the agency replaces older surveillance equipment.
The AT&T work sits inside the FAA Enterprise Network Services programme, which is designed to replace ageing telecommunications infrastructure with a more secure and resilient system. The initial award is structured as an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract and could expand substantially over time as the FAA advances its wider network overhaul.