Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans a multi-billion-dollar revamp of US air traffic control by 2028.

Transport Secretary Duffy Announces Air Traffic Control Overhaul Plans

In Washington, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled plans on Thursday to significantly upgrade the air traffic control system by 2028. “This is bold, this is challenging, but we can absolutely do it,” he expressed confidently.

The proposed changes include constructing at least six new air traffic control centers to replace outdated facilities built in the 1960s. Duffy emphasized the need to swap out old copper wiring with modern fiber optic, wireless, and satellite technologies at 4,600 sites, along with the replacement of 25,000 radios and over 600 radar installations.

While Duffy didn’t specify a precise cost, he estimated that it would be “tens of millions of dollars.” In the meantime, the Republican-led House Transport and Infrastructure Committee is discussing proposals that could raise air traffic control upgrade costs to $12.5 billion. Additionally, the Trump administration has submitted a preliminary budget request of $4 billion for fiscal year 2026 to update technology and facilities.

Duffy explained the current system is reliant on technology that is, frankly, quite old. “Some of it is from the 1980s, but most is from the 1970s. So this technology is 50 years old, and our controllers use it to scan the sky and separate planes,” he said. Recently, officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) raised alarms about around 1,000 outages occurring in the industry each week.

A particularly notable incident was caused by a worn copper wire that led to significant flight disruption at Newark Liberty International Airport. Duffy referred to that situation as an example of the urgent need for improvement: “The backup line didn’t fire, resulting in a 30-90 second blackout, which is scary,” he stated. “We need to resolve this issue.” Chris Rochero, the acting manager, echoed similar sentiments about the long-overdue reform.

During the announcement, Duffy called on President Trump, expressing a desire to offer “one big beautiful contract” for the complete reconstruction and modernization of the air traffic control system.

The president also took a moment to remember the victims of a tragic incident earlier this year involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger plane at Reagan National Airport, which resulted in 67 fatalities. “What a horrible thing,” Trump remarked, emphasizing the importance of improving the air traffic control system to prevent such tragedies.

Duffy outlined plans for software and hardware upgrades at facilities, including new flight management systems that will incorporate electric aviation taxis, known as EVTOLs. “All the new hardware and software will be built into this new air traffic control system. Some might wonder how we can complete this in a reasonable time,” he noted. “I’m aiming to do this in three or four years, and we’re asking Congress to provide upfront funding.”

Trump’s transport head compared the necessary upgrades to transitioning from a flip phone to a smartphone. Many voiced their support for Duffy’s initiative, including American Airlines CEO Nicholas Calio, who highlighted the outdated technology still in use. “I’ve been lifting up floppy disks and paper strips for about nine years,” he admitted while showcasing the old equipment. He added, “This is meant to abolish these things forever.” Calio expressed gratitude towards Secretary Duffy for taking steps to address long-standing issues in the system.