Duffy: ‘Envy of the World’ ATC System Could Be Installed Within 3 Years

Transportation secretary is expected to announce plans to modernize what he describes as an ‘aging, understaffed’ system this week.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 03:52 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at a White House press briefing. [Courtesy: Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an ambitious plan to install a "state-of-the-art" air traffic control system within three years, requesting "tens of billions of dollars" from Congress for the modernization.
The urgent overhaul is prompted by the current system's outdated technology, "aging" infrastructure, and severe understaffing, following recent fatal and near-fatal incidents.
Key proposed improvements include deploying new radar systems, replacing copper wiring with fiber/wireless/satellite, utilizing AI for safety, and significantly boosting air traffic controller hiring.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday predicted the government could install a “state-of-the-art, brand-new, best technology, envy-of-the-world air traffic control system” in the next three years.

During a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump and other high-level White House staff, Duffy questioned why upgrades to the system—which stakeholders widely agree uses outdated technology—had not been made sooner.