Tech from the '60s Strikes Again: Another Major Security Issue at US Airport Newark Near NYC
Substantial Security Lapse Uncovered at Newark Airport Near New York City
Hey there! Let's talk about the recent unpleasant incident at the bustling US airport Newark, situated just west of the New York metropolis. It was Friday morning when another significant security glitch occurred. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spilled the tea on this, stating that communication between flight controllers and pilots of planes taking off and landing was disrupted for a nerve-wracking 90 seconds. This incident, much like the one on April 28, affected the radar screens and ground communication system.
This unexpected outage occurred at 3:55 AM local time, as reported by the FAA in a brief statement. After the first incident, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was determined to put an end to these tech tribulations plaguing our skies. In response, he announced a nationwide modernization of the air traffic control (ATC) system residing in the United States. The goal? To bring the outdated technology, some hailing from the 1960s, right up to 2028.
Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the three airports serving the New York metropolitan area, is no stranger to the c h e l l s of overcrowding. Given the current emphasis on aviation safety, this distressing event is leaping to the top of the agenda. Remember the tragic plane crash in late January at the national airport in Washington, DC? That's when a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter, claiming the lives of 67 individuals.
Now, it's time for a change. According to recent insights, the modernization efforts initially kicked off in 2025, with the ambitious plan to replace legacy telecommunications with advanced fiber optic, wireless, and satellite technologies, install new hardware and software across all air traffic facilities, and more. This includes replacing around 600 old radars and constructing six new air traffic control coordination centers, all for the first time in six decades. A rare modernization indeed!
The plan also entails renovating control towers and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities, aiming to create a unified common platform throughout the network. This vision will help secure both safety and efficiency across all airports, not just Newark. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration replaces roughly one control tower per year out of 377 FAA-owned towers, which would take approximately 300 years to complete at the current pace. With this modernization, the timeline is projected to be shortened to around 80 years, with faster replacements and consolidation of facilities.
The security glitches and safety concerns highlighted by these incidents primarily stem from the outdated hardware and communication systems. The deployment of modern, cutting-edge technology is expected to markedly reduce such incidents, significantly improving reliability and boosting national security. The plan has earned broad support from stakeholders in the aviation industry, underlining the importance of this investment in safeguarding the skies.
The US Secretary of Transportation is hopeful to complete the system build-out within three to four years, with a request for billions in funding from Congress. The full deployment will span decades, given the magnitude of replacements needed. However, the accelerated pace will bring tangible improvements more rapidly, especially at high-traffic hubs like Newark. So, here's to a smoother journey through the skies!
- On Thursday, a whatsapp group of technicians at the US airport in Newark, near New York, were discussing the latest security breach in the aviation industry.
- The general-news has been buzzing about the cybersecurity implications of the US airport's security breach, raising questions about the politics of technology and the urgency for modernization.
- In the midst of these challenges, flight controllers at the US airport in Newark are relying on their expertise to maintain secure communication lines, even as technology from the 60s continues to present problems.
- As part of the FAA's efforts to keep airports like Newark secure, they plan to install advanced fiber optic, wireless, and satellite technologies to modernize the air traffic control system, aiming to complete the system build-out within three to four years.
- With the modernization of the air traffic control system, aviation experts are hopeful that incidents like the recent security breach at the US airport in Newark will become a thing of the past, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the skies.
