Duffy Ups DOT’s ATC Modernization Ask to $30B

New funding appeal is more than what officials previously requested or said they would be seeking.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy seeks $30 billion for ATC modernization on top of the $12.5 billion that Congress already allocated for the effort. [Credit: Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The Transportation Department is requesting an additional $30 billion for air traffic control (ATC) modernization, bringing the total estimated cost for the Brand New ATC System (BNATCS) to $42.5 billion.
This significant funding aims to upgrade outdated infrastructure, including ATC towers, telecommunications systems, and airport facilities, and to integrate new technologies like the AI-based SMART platform.
The modernization is urgent to prevent increasing flight delays and cancellations, address recent system failures, and shift away from merely sustaining aging legacy systems, despite past challenges with similar modernization projects.

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The Transportation Department is upping its funding request for air traffic control (ATC) modernization by several billion dollars as the effort faces cost and schedule concerns.

Reuters reported Tuesday that DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency is “going to ask Congress for $30 billion.” Congress in 2025 allocated $12.5 billion toward the project, known as the Brand New ATC System (BNATCS), and Duffy’s appeal would put the total cost at $42.5 billion.