FAA says first phase of ATC modernization will cost $16 billion

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told a House Appropriations subcommittee the first stage of the agency's air traffic control modernization will cost $16 billion. Congress set aside $12.5 billion for ATC upgrades last year: $9 billion for system modernization and $3.5 billion for building work. Bedford said the FAA is covering the shortfall from its facilities and equipment account, and that the agency wants at least $10 billion more from Congress for a second stage.

The program, which the FAA calls the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, is meant to speed up replacement of older communications, radar and weather equipment. In written testimony, Bedford said that by September 1 the agency had swapped out over 64 percent of its copper-based telecommunications network, converted more than 400 radio sites and put in 101 airport surface-awareness systems.

His remarks came a day after the Government Accountability Office published a report finding the FAA has no complete lifecycle cost estimate or single master schedule for the work. According to the GAO, the first stage covers 13 programs and 11,389 separate project schedules. The agency had earlier put the system implementation portion of that stage at $10.6 billion and aims to finish it by December 2028.

The GAO said the second stage is expected to center on new automation systems for tracking aircraft and managing traffic flow. The FAA has estimated those upgrades at roughly $10.2 billion, not counting facilities, but has not set dates for starting or completing them. Bedford said further funding will be required as the agency moves past the current work.