Key facts
- The FAA is requesting an additional $10 billion from Congress for air traffic control system reform.
- Peraton has been selected as the project manager for a $12.5 billion effort to overhaul the U.S. air traffic control system.
- The FAA aims to reach a staffing target of 12,563 Certified Professional Controllers.
- The overhaul is intended to improve efficiency, reduce outages, and enhance safety.
- The system modernization is expected to be completed within three years.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking an additional $10 billion from Congress to reform the U.S. air traffic control system, which Administrator Bryan Bedford described as significantly behind schedule and inefficient despite being safe. The agency is actively deploying $12.5 billion previously approved by Congress for this overhaul.
The FAA has selected Peraton, a national security company, to manage the $12.5 billion effort to modernize the aging infrastructure. This initiative aims to address decades of complaints regarding airport congestion, technological failures, and flight delays. The selection of Peraton, which beat out bids from Parsons and IBM, is part of a broader plan to ensure the U.S. has a world-class air traffic control system.
Administrator Bedford highlighted that the plan involves changing hiring, training, and scheduling practices for air traffic controllers, providing them with state-of-the-art tools. The goal is to reach a full staffing target of 12,563 Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs), with approximately 11,000 currently deployed and 4,000 in the training pipeline. The plan also focuses on optimizing controller efficiency through data-driven models and modern scheduling tools to reduce mandatory overtime and alleviate fatigue.
The overhaul, expected to be completed within three years, seeks to reduce outages, improve efficiency, reinforce safety, and support future growth in the national airspace. This effort follows the "Next Gen" project, which began over two decades ago but faced delays and cost overruns. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has also requested an additional $19 billion to $20 billion from Congress for further reforms.