DOT ‘Ready to Brief’ Trump on Brand New ATC System Integrator

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the selection of a lead contractor is imminent.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 03:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Air traffic control tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and FAA are nearing the selection of a private "prime integrator" to lead the "Brand New Air Traffic Control System" (BNATCS) modernization effort.
The BNATCS aims to replace the country's outdated ATC infrastructure with fiber-optic wiring, digital communications, and new facilities to improve safety and prepare for future aviation demands.
This multi-billion dollar initiative is prompted by critical safety concerns, including system outages and a fatal collision attributed to aging equipment and infrastructure.
Key challenges include securing the full requested funding of $31.5 billion and meeting the ambitious 3.5-year timeframe, amidst skepticism due to past modernization project failures like NextGen.

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FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is close to picking a prime integrator—essentially a general contractor—to lead the agency’s Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) effort.

Unlike previous efforts such as NextGen, The BNATCS plan—which aims to modernize the country’s ATC systems with infrastructure upgrades and new facilities—will rely on a private company to oversee both technical and managerial responsibilities. Bedford said the hope is for the integrator to “get on board and take our plan and make it even better.”