America's air traffic control system is on track for a redo, but it won't come cheap. Speaking before Congress Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy put the price tag at $31.5 billion—the first time a concrete figure has been given. CNN reports an initial $12.5 billion for the project was included in President Trump's "big beautiful bill." That leaves a $19 billion shortfall. "We are going to need more money from the Congress," Duffy told lawmakers at a House Transportation and Infrastructure committee meeting, per Reuters. Duffy stressed that the full amount is necessary to modernize the aging infrastructure, warning lawmakers that speed is critical. The Department of Transportation aims to have the new system in place by 2028.
Plans include installing over 25,000 new radios and 475 voice switches, replacing 618 radars, and installing anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, but future funding will determine how much actually gets done. One of the most significant upgrades centers on new software. As Duffy put it, "It's like you're on your computer, you're using Microsoft 95 versus what's available today, there's so much better technology, and this is the heart of making the system more efficient and safer." Selecting the right software vendor and readying it for deployment could take 12 to 18 months, Duffy said, and bidding will be open to private companies.
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