Duffy touts ATC modernization progress, path forward
Effort expected to complete in 2028
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy touted progress in the ongoing air traffic control modernization effort that he launched shortly after taking office in 2025, at an event on April 21.
Duffy took office one day prior to the midair collision between a regional airliner and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., in January 2025—an accident that thrust aviation safety into the national conversation.
The modernization effort, known as the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, formally kicked off in May. A "down payment" of $12.5 billion was allocated in July, and Peraton was named the prime integrator of the sweeping overhaul in December.
At the April 21 event, Duffy provided an update on work that has been completed so far, including the replacement of half of all copper lines with fiber, and the conversion of 17 ATC towers to electronic strips from paper.
"This is truly the largest overhaul in aviation since the jet age," said Duffy, noting that the effort requires work at 4,600 sites and millions of work hours.
Duffy said the work would be complete in two-and-a-half years and compared the overhaul with landmark infrastructure projects in American history—the interstate highway system, the Hoover Dam, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Duffy also introduced a video at the event highlighting the commitment of the aviation industry to the effort. New AOPA Board Chairman Luke Wippler noted in the video that the overhaul is bringing "long overdue upgrades for America's airspace."
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford discussed how three companies have created "digital twins" of the U.S. airspace and will be able to use "predictive analytics" to better streamline air traffic management. Peraton highlighted its use of artificial intelligence to optimize its work as well.
"For decades, we've seen repeated efforts to modernize our air traffic control system, and while each has had some success, none has accomplished anywhere near what this overhaul has, especially in just one year," said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon. "AOPA is committed to supporting the Modern Skies Coalition and the broader modernization effort to ensure we can finish the job."
