Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled multi-billion dollar plans to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system during a press conference on Thursday.
The initiative, led by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aims to enhance flight safety, reduce delays, and lay the foundation for the future of air travel.
“Under President Trump, America is building again. Today we are seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a brand new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system,” said Duffy. “Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age.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 plan includes deploying fiber, wireless, and satellite technologies at more than 4,600 locations, installing 25,000 new radios, and replacing 475 voice switches. It also calls for the replacement of 618 aging radar systems and the expansion of runway safety technology to 200 airports. Notably, six brand-new air traffic control centers—the first built since the 1960s—will be constructed to support growing demands.
To streamline operations, the FAA will implement standardized, modern hardware and software across all towers, TRACONs, and en-route centers. The plan also prioritizes infrastructure upgrades in Alaska, adding 174 new weather stations to enhance safety in the region’s challenging flying conditions.
Transportation Secretary Duffy was joined by top airline executives and families of the victims of January’s fatal crash at Reagan Washington National Airport during his remarks. The administration has set an ambitious deadline to complete the modernization by 2028.
