The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have appointed Peraton as the Prime Integrator for the construction and rollout of a new national air traffic control system.
The announcement was made on 4 December by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
The integrator role forms part of a wider programme to modernise core aviation infrastructure, supported by an initial federal allocation of 12.5 billion USD. The project involves replacing ageing communication and surveillance systems with updated digital and networked technology.
Peraton will work alongside federal teams to coordinate the various elements of the programme. This includes managing the introduction of upgraded telecommunications networks, radar systems, software and hardware, and assisting with the deployment of new operational tools across the National Airspace System.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said:We are thrilled to be working with Peraton because they share President Trump's drive to modernise our skies safely at record speed. Working together, we are going to build on the incredible progress we’ve already made and deliver a state-of-the-art air traffic control system that the American travelling public — and our hard-working air traffic controllers — deserve.
The modernisation programme aims to address the increased incidence of equipment-related issues reported in recent years. Older systems have required traffic to slow or reroute during technical failures; officials state that the upgraded system is intended to reduce these disruptions by improving reliability.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said:We are taking bold action to ensure our air traffic system is the envy of the world. The One Big Beautiful Bill gave us a strong $12.5 billion down payment to start this modernisation effort. But to finish the job—and deliver the safer, more efficient system travellers deserve—we’re going to need another $20 billion. This is a long-term investment in the future of air travel, and we’re committed to getting it right.
USDOT and the FAA report that several early projects have already been completed as part of broader modernisation activities. These include partial transition from copper to fibre, satellite and wireless infrastructure; deployment of new radios at sites nationwide; installation of next-generation voice switching technology at Allegheny Tower; and expanded use of electronic flight strips and surface awareness systems at selected airports.
Peraton will begin work immediately, with initial tasks including the replacement of remaining copper infrastructure with fibre connections and the establishment of a new digital command centre to support system management. Future stages of the programme will involve the procurement of new radar systems and the development of next-generation air traffic facilities.
