Putnam, Oklahoma has a new radar to feed important information to controllers at nearby Terminal Radar Approach Controls (TRACONs) and Air Route Traffic Control Centers. It's the first radar installation from Indra Group, one of two companies contracted to replace the nation's decades-old radar systems, paid for by the One Big Beautiful Bill.   

Secondary radars tell controllers an aircraft's position, altitude, flight number and if the aircraft is in an emergency status. They are essential for keeping aircraft safely separated and moving efficiently across the National Airspace System.  These state-of-the-art radars will also make future repairs easier to identify and solve, which will reduce flight delays and cancellations.   

“The improvements made to the Putnam radar will not only enhance redundancy for the workforce at OKC, but also strengthen reliability, resilience, and overall effectiveness of our operations,” said OKC Will Rogers International Airport Air Traffic Manager Michael Tagmir. “By improving the radar coverage, these upgrades will support safer decision-making and ensure a more dependable service for our users. We believe this investment reflects the continued commitment to operational excellence, support, and the highest standard of safety.” 

This radar is the first of 185 radars Indra will replace as part of the FAA’s effort to modernize air traffic infrastructure.  Indra and RTX will contribute to replacing 612 radars by June 2028 with modern, commercially available surveillance radars.  

You can track where these radar sites are located through our groundbreaking website highlighting the more than 10,000 air traffic control modernization projects across the nation.