WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled a plan on Thursday to modernize the aging U.S. air traffic control system at a cost of tens of billions of dollars to address airport congestion, flight delays and safety.
“This is bold. This is going to be challenging but we absolutely can do it,” Duffy said at an event announcing the effort, estimating the project would take three to four years.
The program will involve upgrading outdated radar and telecommunications systems, air traffic control towers and other facilities as well as increasing staffing of air traffic controllers.
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to replace 618 radars, install anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, build six new air traffic control centers and expand its ADS-B network of real-time aircraft traffic information.
“It’s long past time when we need to fix this problem,” Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said.
Duffy, joined by five airline CEOs and senior executives at Boeing and Airbus, did not set a precise figure for the overhaul that he has previously estimated will cost “tens of billions of dollars.”
The FAA’s air traffic control network’s woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January have spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.
Also attending the announcement were relatives of some of the 67 people killed on January 29 in the mid-air collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet.
Duffy has said he wants new funding for airport equipment to prevent near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic controller hiring, which is 3,500 short of targeted staffing.
President Donald Trump during his first term in 2017 proposed privatizing air traffic control, but Congress never acted on his proposal.
Airlines and others are expected to call for around $31 billion in spending. A U.S. House panel has proposed $12.5 billion in initial spending on air traffic control reform, including $2.5 billion for air traffic tower and contract-tower replacements.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Cynthia Osterman)
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