Duffy to call on Congress for 'upfront appropriations' to cover new air traffic control technology

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday said he will ask Congress to approve “upfront appropriations” to fund much-needed updates to air traffic control technology and equipment.

The announcement comes after a series of issues at the Newark Liberty International Airport stranded hundreds of flights over the past few weeks, including an incident last week when air traffic controllers lost all radio and radar contact with pilots flying into the airport for 90 seconds.

Duffy did not specify an exact amount that he would ask Congress for in a press conference, but is calling for billions of dollars to update the systems, which he said could take three to four years. 

The secretary is looking to rebuild some air traffic control towers and centers, but everything that controls the airspace would be brand new, including radios for air traffic controllers to use with pilots, radar, and sensors for tarmacs.

“In essence, all the front-facing equipment for controllers, all the back-end systems for controllers, all brand new,” Duffy said. “All new hardware, all new software, is going to be built into this brand-new air traffic control system.”

Duffy said that he needs the funding upfront to accomplish his plan because priorities can change over time.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.