FAA Chief Defends Choice for ATC Overhaul Contractor

Georgia congressman raises concerns about technology firm’s experience and background.

Zach Vasile

Friday, December 19, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An air traffic control tower at Newark Liberty International Airport [Credit: Wikimedia Commons]

Key Takeaways:

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford defended the selection of Peraton for a $31.5 billion modernization of the nation's air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure.
Rep. Hank Johnson criticized the choice, questioning Peraton's limited FAA experience and private equity ownership, while suggesting impropriety over more experienced bidders like Parsons.
Bedford justified Peraton's selection by highlighting its specialized expertise in migrating analog systems to digital and cloud-based applications, gained from work with the DoD and NASA, which he claimed other bidders lacked for this specific project.
The project aims to replace outdated ATC technology with state-of-the-art digital systems, including new centers and towers, with an estimated completion by 2028.

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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford this week defended the federal government’s choice of security and technology company Peraton to handle an expansive rebuild of the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure.

At a hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Tuesday, Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia asked Bedford why a relatively young company with “little to no experience” working with the FAA was given control of a contract that will likely be worth over $31 billion over several years.