Overview

• The modernization plan focuses on four key components: communications, surveillance, automation, and facilities, with upgrades including 25,000 new radios, 618 radars, and six new air traffic control centers.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is urging Congress to provide full upfront funding to avoid delays, estimating costs in the tens of billions of dollars.
• The FAA warns that while the current system is safe, outdated infrastructure forces traffic slowdowns and increases the risk of further outages and inefficiencies.
• Major airlines, labor unions, and industry leaders have expressed support for the plan, though debates continue over funding mechanisms and potential privatization.
• Recent high-profile failures, such as the Newark communications blackout and the deadly collision near DCA, have underscored the urgent need for modernization.