FAA unveils bold plan to replace 'outdated' air traffic control tech by 2028
Pranjal Chandra | May 08, 2025, 23:59 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Facing mounting pressure from deadly incidents and outdated technology, the FAA has unveiled a comprehensive three-year plan to overhaul its air traffic control systems by 2028. The initiative aims to replace aging infrastructure, including voice radios and radar systems dating back to the 1960s, with modern internet protocol infrastructure and new ATC facilities.
After a string of deadly aviation incidents and an embarrassing communications blackout, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Thursday a sweeping, three-year plan to replace its decades-old air traffic control (ATC) systems.
The plan promises a “full replacement” of legacy technologies by 2028 including ancient voice radios and radar wiring systems some of which date back to the 1960s.
In a stark admission, the FAA called its current system “outdated and unable to meet modern demands”, pointing to growing passenger volumes, increasing private jet traffic, drone activity, and commercial space launches all straining a fragile network.
The pressure reached a breaking point last week when air traffic controllers lost contact with pilots over Newark, New Jersey, due to a failure in copper wire connections transmitting radar data.
That was the latest in a series of chilling failures, including a fatal mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., in January, and multiple deadly crashes in Alaska and Pennsylvania earlier this year.
President Donald Trump weighed in Thursday, blaming “equipment that’s from the 1960s” and promising relief for frustrated travelers:
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the infrastructure “beyond tired” and asked Congress for full funding now—not years down the road.
“I need help,” Duffy said bluntly. “We need all the money up front to hit a three- to four-year timeline.”
Among the FAA’s targets for overhaul:
“This isn’t just about delays,” said Rep. Rick Larsen, the ranking Democrat on the House transportation committee. “We’re seeing lives lost and public confidence eroded.”
With bipartisan support promised by Larsen and Republican committee chair Sam Graves, lawmakers say they want to ensure the modernization doesn’t fall victim to political gridlock.
“We don’t want this 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 is walking a fine line fixing critical infrastructure without causing further disruptions to one of the world’s busiest airspaces. Travelers, already weary from delays and cancellations, may be skeptical that upgrades won’t cause more short-term pain.
Complicating matters is a boom in unmanned aerial systems (drones) and commercial space activity, which the FAA admits its systems are ill-equipped to handle.
While the FAA’s announcement reflects urgency, critics say the agency has been slow to act for years, underinvesting in core infrastructure despite mounting air traffic and repeated near-miss incidents.
“This is a reckoning long overdue,” one former FAA engineer told us. “We’re lucky we haven’t had more disasters.”
The plan promises a “full replacement” of legacy technologies by 2028 including ancient voice radios and radar wiring systems some of which date back to the 1960s.
A system strained to the breaking point
The pressure reached a breaking point last week when air traffic controllers lost contact with pilots over Newark, New Jersey, due to a failure in copper wire connections transmitting radar data.
That was the latest in a series of chilling failures, including a fatal mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., in January, and multiple deadly crashes in Alaska and Pennsylvania earlier this year.
Trump and Duffy say action is coming—if Congress backs it
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the infrastructure “beyond tired” and asked Congress for full funding now—not years down the road.
“I need help,” Duffy said bluntly. “We need all the money up front to hit a three- to four-year timeline.”
What’s actually being replaced?
- Time Division Multiplexing (TDM): This legacy communications system will be replaced with modern internet protocol infrastructure.
- Analog voice radios: Many are over 30 years old and will be replaced by 2027.
- Radar systems: The FAA operates 618 airborne radar units, most of which have exceeded their designed lifespan.
- ATC centers: Six brand-new, “state-of-the-art” air traffic control facilities will be built for the first time since the 1960s.
Safety, delays, and the cost of inaction
With bipartisan support promised by Larsen and Republican committee chair Sam Graves, lawmakers say they want to ensure the modernization doesn’t fall victim to political gridlock.
“We don’t want this effort to span generations,” Larsen said. “Democrats will be ready to stand with you, Sean, to improve the safety of U.S. aviation.”
FAA’s challenge: fix it fast and get it right
Complicating matters is a boom in unmanned aerial systems (drones) and commercial space activity, which the FAA admits its systems are ill-equipped to handle.
A reckoning decades in the making
“This is a reckoning long overdue,” one former FAA engineer told us. “We’re lucky we haven’t had more disasters.”