FAA Administrator Pushes Back on Watchdog’s ATC Modernization Report

Air traffic control effort seeks to replace, upgrade, and introduce new physical and digital infrastructure.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Tuesday that he wanted to "correct the record" on the GAO's report. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the FAA's Brand New ATC System (BNATCS) modernization program risks cost overruns, schedule delays, and unmet goals due to missing a lifecycle cost estimate and a comprehensive master schedule.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford disputed some GAO claims regarding the existence of these estimates and schedules but conceded that the agency expects to overspend the $12.5 billion allocated for BNATCS Phase 1 and is experiencing schedule pressures.
The GAO's skepticism stems from the history of failed FAA modernization efforts, such as NextGen, and the current "unsustainable" status of over 75 percent of the agency's existing air traffic control systems.
Bedford revealed the FAA is funding a $3.5 billion gap for Phase 1 from other accounts and warned Congress that continued underfunding of BNATCS could lead to increased flight delays, cancellations, and a less resilient National Airspace System.

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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Tuesday that he wanted to “correct the record” on a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that alleged the agency’s air traffic control modernization effort may face cost overruns, schedule delays, and unmet goals.

The GAO report, published Monday, claimed that the FAA lacks a lifecycle cost estimate or master schedule for its Brand New ATC System (BNATCS) program. Over two phases, BNATCS seeks to replace outdated, decades-old infrastructure and introduce new automated capabilities to improve safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System (NAS).