Department The Department of Transportation announced plans Thursday to develop a completely new air traffic control system by 2028, a move aimed at overhauling outdated infrastructure that has plagued the aviation industry for decades.
The announcement comes on the heels of significant disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport, where a 30- to 90-second blackout on April 28 caused air traffic controllers to lose visibility on their screens and radio communication. Duffy described the incident as “frightening,” noting that it led at least five controllers to take trauma leave, according to CNN.
“If we don’t follow through on the plan we’re laying out today, similar incidents will happen elsewhere,” Duffy warned.
Duffy said he will request “upfront appropriations” from Congress and promised to report quarterly on progress and spending.
“We’re going to take care of everyone. A full modernization is on the way.”
The announcement marks a major step toward overhauling an outdated air traffic control system that has suffered from decades of deteriorating infrastructure, technological failures, and a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers. Although multiple past administrations have proposed reforms, current controllers continue to work with many of the same longstanding issues.
“It’s been a patchwork of temporary fixes and limited funding. The American people, and everyone who relies on our airspace, deserve a modern system that ensures their safety.”
The new plan targets four core infrastructure components: communications, surveillance, automation, and physical facilities. By 2028, more than 4,600 locations are expected to receive high-speed network upgrades, replacing outdated telecommunications lines with modern fiber, wireless, and satellite connections, according to the department.
The Department of Transportation plans to deploy over 25,000 new radios and 475 updated voice switches, aiming to improve communications between pilots and air traffic controllers while helping to minimize flight delays.
“This is technology that’s half a century old, and it’s what our controllers rely on to monitor the skies and keep aircraft safely separated,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during the news conference. “We need to acknowledge the outdated tools we have and invest in what’s truly needed.”
The plan also includes the construction of six new air traffic control centers—the first such development since the 1960s—and an accelerated schedule for replacing existing control towers across the country.
The proposal also calls for expanding surface awareness initiative technology—which is designed to reduce ground-level near misses—to 200 airports nationwide.
To address long-standing aviation challenges in Alaska, the DOT plans to install 174 new weather stations across the state. By 2028, the department hopes to modernize the Alaska Flight Service system to function more like its counterpart in the continental U.S.
“This legislation gives me more hope than I’ve ever had in my career that we’ll finally see real modernization of air traffic control.”
When asked whether Secretary Sean Duffy’s three- to four-year timeline for completing the overhaul was overly optimistic, Kirby said that with Duffy and his team leading the effort, the project could progress faster than typical government timelines.
“What really matters is having leaders who know how to execute, not just talk about policy—and that’s going to make all the difference.”
As part of those efforts, the FAA plans to install three new high-bandwidth telecommunications lines and replace outdated copper wiring with modern fiberoptic systems to improve data flow to air traffic controllers. A temporary backup system will also be deployed at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which manages aircraft approaching and departing Newark.
Additionally, the FAA said staffing levels will be increased to support operations, and a steady stream of training classes for new controllers is already filled through next July.
Duffy emphasized that the success of the new modernization plan hinges on strong support from Congress. In addition to upfront financial backing, he urged lawmakers to streamline the permitting process to ensure the project can be completed within three to four years.
Longstanding technological failures
The FAA has experienced numerous high-profile technical problems over the years, many of which have raised serious safety concerns across the aviation industry.
In 2023, the aviation system faced a major disruption when the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) system — which alerts pilots to critical pre-flight safety information — went down, resulting in thousands of flight delays and cancellations. Although NOTAM is separate from the main air traffic control network that manages aircraft separation, it remains a vital component of overall flight safety.
Following the outage, the FAA conducted an operational risk assessment that revealed significant vulnerabilities. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 58 out of 105 systems deemed unsustainable or potentially unsustainable had a critical impact on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace.
In 2014, an FAA contract worker deliberately set fire to the FAA’s Chicago En Route Center in Aurora, Illinois, effectively shutting down air traffic control operations in that region for over two weeks. An FAA audit reported that the disruption led to thousands of delayed and canceled flights. When emergency responders arrived, the man was found on the floor attempting to harm himself, according to an FBI affidavit.
“Think about old-school analog communication systems—many are outdated, costly to repair, and often ignored by local telecom providers,” said Katie Thomson, former FAA deputy administrator.
At Thursday’s news conference, Nick Calio, president of Airlines for America—the trade group representing major U.S.
“People are always shocked, but the good news is today’s announcement marks the beginning of the end for these relics.”
The program is designed to upgrade telecommunications, information management, and other specialized services critical to air traffic operations.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk criticized Verizon’s progress on the project via X, calling it “a serious risk to air traveler safety” and suggesting that his company, Starlink, could handle the upgrades more effectively.
During a news conference on Monday, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York criticized the outdated technology, referring to it as “old.”
In addition to outdated technology, some of the issues affecting Newark airspace stem from a decision made last summer to relocate approach controllers from the N90 facility on Long Island to Philadelphia.
Thomson explained that despite offering monetary incentives, the FAA was unable to resolve staffing shortages, leading to significant delays and occasional shutdowns in the Northeast corridor at airports, all due to insufficient staff.
“You’re seeing an increase in the deterioration of older systems, which is causing glitchy radar screens, especially at Newark,” Thomson explained. “While the problems are most severe at Newark, similar issues are occurring in other parts of the system as well.”