New Maryland factory to build voice switches for FAA air traffic control upgrade

The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a new manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland, as part of its ongoing effort to replace aging air traffic control infrastructure. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for the 87,000-square-foot plant, operated by Rohde & Schwarz USA at a cost of $40 million.

The facility will produce digital Voice over IP switches, which allow air traffic controllers to communicate with pilots and other facilities. According to the FAA, 450 of these digital switches are planned for installation as part of the broader modernization effort.

Bedford described the equipment as a critical piece of the agency's system overhaul, and said the new plant supports domestic manufacturing and job creation while helping the agency stay on track for a 2028 completion target.

The FAA said it has made significant headway on the wider program over the past year. Roughly 63% of the agency's nationwide copper infrastructure has reportedly been replaced with fiber, 5G wireless, or low-Earth-orbit satellite links. The agency also said it has converted 388 radio sites, installed 176 IP voice switches, and deployed surface awareness technology at 96 airport towers.

A related milestone was reached recently at Rapid City Regional Airport in South Dakota, where installation of the 140th CERTIUM Voice Communication System completed the first phase of the nationwide voice-system rollout ahead of schedule, the FAA said.

The modernization program is backed by an initial $12.5 billion in federal funding and covers replacement of aging telecommunications, radar, software, and other systems at facilities nationwide, with the FAA aiming to finish the overhaul by the end of 2028.