SFO’s Radio Services Team recently completed an upgrade project to the Airport’s radio systems that will increase the security of communications and overall safety at the Airport.
The project, which included the reprogramming of all portable and vehicle-mounted radios at the Airport, was a component of San Francisco’s Radio Upgrade Project, which required communications systems to be converted to a more secure encryption standard. The new standard, called the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Airport Radio Services Team – Manager Kal Outly and Technicians Al Vidal and Edgar Torres – collected over 1,000 radios, then upgraded the software and firmware, reprogrammed the templates, and rekeyed each unit. Work on each radio took approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
The team began this project in late January, and they worked long hours to accommodate the unique needs and work schedules of the various departments who utilize the radios, including the SFPD, SFFD, Airfield Safety, and Facilities. They worked with great professionalism to get this important piece of equipment back to the users as soon as possible.
Completing this critical upgrade to the Airport’s infrastructure is great example of the commitment to our Core Value of Safety & Security.
Many thanks to The Radio Services Team for an outstanding job!