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 its Brand New ATC System (BNATCS) modernization, increasing the total project cost to $42.5 billion.
This funding is crucial for upgrading aging air traffic control towers, telecommunications infrastructure, airport facilities, and integrating AI platforms like SMART, driven by recent system failures.
The project faces delays and cost concerns, with officials noting much of the current budget sustains legacy systems, raising worries it could repeat the inefficiencies of the previous $36 billion NextGen modernization.

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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.