US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has revealed that a plan to modernise the country’s ageing and understaffed air traffic control system will be announced next week.
The initiative aims to revitalise Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) infrastructure with new radar systems, air traffic control terminals, and increased hiring, following recent aviation safety incidents that have raised concerns.
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Duffy has previously stated that he intends to request funding for a multi-year effort to overhaul the system.
This includes implementing new runway safety technology to replace “outdated” technology such as binoculars for visual checks and floppy disks for data storage.
Duffy emphasised the need for a swift transition from ageing copper wire telecommunications to modern alternatives such as fibre, wireless, and satellite networks.
US President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation and is in favour of creating “a state-of-the-art, brand new air control system,” supporting the proposed reforms, DoT said.
The FAA is currently facing a significant shortage of air traffic controllers with 3,500 fewer controllers than the targeted staffing levels, leading to flight delays and extensive overtime and six-day workweeks for existing staff.
That’s despite the work of the Biden Administration to hire thousands of ATC professionals.
The Government Accountability Office has urged the FAA to take immediate action to address the deteriorating air traffic control systems, noting that one-third of them are unsustainable.
Reports from 2023 highlighted that the FAA’s communication system is severely outdated, with spare parts for many systems becoming increasingly difficult to source.
In March 2024, former US President Joe Biden proposed an $8bn investment over five years to replace or modernise more than 20 outdated air traffic control facilities and 377 critical radar systems.
Last year, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaii secured $17m investment from the FAA to upgrade fire safety systems.
