US Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy has announced a plan to build a new air traffic control system that will replace the current infrastructure.
This is due to federal officials claiming that the nation’s current infrastructure no longer meets the demands of modern aviation.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will oversee this initiative, which involves a comprehensive upgrade of key systems and technologies used to manage US airspace.
According to the Department of Transportation, the plan includes major updates to communications, surveillance, automation, and physical facilities. The proposed improvements are intended to address issues related to system outages, equipment age, and operational efficiency. The initiative also aims to improve safety and provide air traffic controllers with updated tools and systems.
Secretary Duffy said:Today we are seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a brand new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system. Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age. Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now. The unprecedented coalition of support we’ve assembled – from labor to industry – is indicative of just how important it is to this administration.
The FAA plan outlines several areas of focus:
Communications: Upgrades will involve the installation of fibre, wireless and satellite technologies across more than 4,600 sites.
This includes the deployment of 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches.
Surveillance: The plan calls for the replacement of 618 radar systems that have exceeded their intended service life.
Automation: New software and hardware will be introduced to create a standardised platform across all air traffic control towers, terminal radar approach control facilities (TRACONs), and en route centres.
Facilities: Six new air traffic control centres will be built, marking the first such construction since the 1960s. Existing towers and TRACONs will also be replaced or modernised.
Additional Initiatives:
- The FAA also plans to expand the Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI), which aims to enhance runway safety, to 200 airports
- In Alaska, 174 new weather stations will be installed to address region-specific operational challenges
According to the Department of Transportation, the plan has received support from both labour organisations and industry stakeholders. However, specific funding mechanisms, timelines, and procurement details have yet to be finalised.
The Department has framed the effort as a long-term investment in national aviation infrastructure, intended to support the evolving needs of the aviation sector in the coming decades.
