Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled a sweeping plan to replace decades-old infrastructure to boost safety, cut delays, and support future air travel in a move to modernize the United States’s air traffic control system.
Duffy urged lawmakers to secure tens of billions of dollars in funding to revamp the nation’s overburdened air traffic system, citing outdated equipment, severe personnel shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure. He estimated the overhaul could take between three and four years.
“This is bold. This is going to be challenging, but we absolutely can do it,” Duffy said, standing onstage at the Department of Transportation headquarters on Thursday. “I think our country, our people, those who use the airspace, they deserve this moment in time to actually deliver an air traffic control system, one to keep them safe.”
Duffy announced the overhaul before the CEOs of the five largest airlines and senior executives at Boeing and Airbus, along with some of the relatives of the 67 people killed in the Jan. 29 midair collision in Washington, D.C.
The plan includes upgrades such as advanced fiber, wireless, and satellite systems; updated hardware and software across facilities; the replacement of 618 aging radars; and the construction of six new control centers along with modernized towers. Improving the air traffic system will also require the coordination of tens of thousands of safety workers in one of the country’s most demanding professions.
Duffy’s announcement followed a brief communications outage between air traffic controllers and pilots at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The airport also experienced nearly 500 delays and 141 flight cancellations on Sunday, which officials attributed to staffing shortages and technical difficulties.
The incident came just months after a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people, and two planes were forced to abort landings at the same airport in a near miss that is now under federal review. While no injuries were reported, the event has raised renewed concerns about air traffic safety protocols at one of the nation’s most complex and constrained airports.
Duffy opened the press conference by calling President Donald Trump and placing him on speakerphone — only for Trump to preempt the announcement by unveiling the plan.
“So these actions will bring American air traffic control into the highest level of anybody, any country, anywhere in the world, the highest in the 21st century,” Trump said.
Trump took a swipe at the Biden administration, placing part of the blame on former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“Pete Buttigieg, who was the Secretary of Transportation, had no clue what the problem was. He had no clue, but he wants to run for president. I don’t think he’s going to do so well,” Trump added.
The Federal Aviation Administration faces a shortage of roughly 3,500 air traffic controllers, with staffing gaps affecting nearly every control tower. Despite recruitment efforts, overall staffing levels have remained stagnant in recent years and are now 10% lower than in 2012, partly due to retirements and a high rate of trainees not completing certification.
“We want to make sure air traffic controllers have the tools to keep airplanes separated, and we want to allow them to see that through their panels and screens,” Duffy said. “We’re 3,000 air traffic controllers short, and we’ve been 3,000 air traffic controllers short, I think, for over a decade.”
The announcement received strong support from key congressional transportation leaders, including Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee ranking member Rick Larsen (D-WA).
Duffy neglected to give a specific figure for the funding needed, but estimated it could cost over $12 billion. He said it’s up to Congress to decide how to move forward and determine the funding approach.
“Whether it’s part of the big, beautiful bill or it comes in a different package, we do need all the money,” Duffy said. “I think the Congress understands the mistakes of the past truly have been these partial tranches of money that come. We can’t do it that way.”
As the Trump administration continues slashing federal spending, it has also called on the Department of Government Efficiency to take a more active role in aviation reform. Some Democrats have sounded the alarm over DOGE leader Elon Musk’s business interests, which could intersect with proposed solutions.
Duffy made clear that the focus is on fiber optics as the main solution, and while alternatives such as satellite could play a minor role, he said Musk’s involvement isn’t a consideration at this stage.
“We’re going to look at some other technologies, but the main technology is going to be fiber. So I can’t commit that Elon Musk is going to get or not get anything. I will let this go through the process,” he said.
In a report released last September, the Government Accountability Office called on the FAA to move quickly to modernize its outdated air traffic infrastructure. The GAO has flagged 51 of the FAA’s 138 air traffic control systems as no longer viable. In response, the FAA indicated that upgrades for many of these systems aren’t expected to be completed for another 10 years or more.
Duffy disputed claims that the project would take 10-15 years, saying it could be completed in three to four years if Congress provides funding and agrees to key reforms.
“So what we’re doing is working with the FAA, which has a great team, and we believe we can do this in three to four years. It’s probably closer to four than it is to three,” he said. “But two things have to happen, one, we have to get the money, and two, we have to have permitting reform.”
An independent panel reviewing the FAA in November 2023 found that the agency’s air traffic communication systems have long been outdated, with many relying on parts that are no longer produced or readily available.
Duffy confirmed this practice, mentioning officials resort to online resale sites for critical repairs.
“When systems go down and the equipment that you see up here, we don’t call the manufacturer to buy replacement parts for this equipment,” Duffy said, motioning to outdated equipment on the stage.
“Do you know where we go? eBay. We shop on eBay to replace the parts, to fix our equipment in the system that keeps you safe, keeps your family safe,” he said. “And the next point that is 100% unacceptable, especially for the greatest country that’s ever existed on the face of the Earth.”
The family of 28-year-old Sam Lilley, who served as the first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342, applauded Duffy’s “unwavering commitment to overhauling and strengthening” the nation’s air traffic control system.”
They called on the Army to revise its policies, highlighting that key air traffic transmission systems were switched off aboard the Black Hawk during the midair collision.
“Tomorrow marks 100 days since the mid-air collision that took our son, First Officer Sam Lilley, and 66 others,” the family said in a statement provided by their attorney. “As parents, we carry unimaginable grief. We know that we owe it to Sam to keep fighting so this never happens again.”
SEAN DUFFY TEASES UPDATES FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM
Duffy acknowledged the uncertainty around whether air traffic control upgrades could have prevented January’s collision. However, he stressed that he is coordinating closely with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to address the growing congestion in the skies above the nation’s capital.
“We’re going to work together to figure out what’s an appropriate level of traffic coming out of the Pentagon and what works for the DCA airspace,” Duffy said.