New 3-year modernisation plan aims to improve safety, cut delays
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a sweeping three-year plan to modernise the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, phasing out outdated radar and communications systems that officials say are no longer fit for today’s high-volume skies.
The initiative comes in response to growing concern over recent air traffic disruptions, including a communication blackout in Newark last week caused by decades-old copper wiring, and broader issues such as flight delays, safety concerns, and system inefficiencies.
“The FAA’s air traffic system is based on outdated technologies that are unable to meet the demands,”
the agency stated Thursday, warning that without upgrades, the National Airspace System could face increasing risk.
Key elements of the modernisation effort include:
- Replacing Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) networks with faster, more secure Internet Protocol (IP) systems by 2028
- Phasing out analogue radios and legacy voice communication systems by 2027
- Upgrading radar, telecommunications, and facility infrastructure
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, joined by bipartisan congressional leaders, called for full funding to deliver results within the ambitious timeline.
“I need help. I can’t do it by myself,” said Duffy. “To do it in three or four years, we need all of the money up front.”
President Donald Trump, who spoke with Duffy during the announcement, expressed support for travellers affected by delays, saying the upgrades would replace “equipment that’s from the 1960s if you can believe it.”
House Transportation leaders, Reps. Sam Graves (R) and Rick Larsen (D), vowed bipartisan backing to push the upgrades forward.
“We don’t want the effort to span generations,” Larsen said. “Democrats will be ready to stand with you, Sean, to improve the safety of U.S. aviation.”
The FAA said the modernisation push is not only about performance, but essential to preserving safety, especially as consumer air travel volumes continue to rise.