State-of-the-Art Air Traffic Control System Set to Take Off Soon, Duffy Announces

The Trump administration is gearing up to unveil a brand-new "state-of-the-art" air traffic control system in the coming days, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Speaking on "Fox & Friends" Wednesday, Duffy revealed that President Donald Trump will get an exclusive first look before the system is formally presented to Congress as part of a funding request.

"We're going to have an announcement in the next couple of days," Duffy said. "Our current system is 25 to 30 years old. We’re talking copper wires and floppy disks—yes, floppy disks. It’s safe, but the cracks are showing. So, we’re building a brand-new, state-of-the-art system."

Duffy laid out the ambitious upgrades planned for the nation’s air traffic infrastructure. "We're moving from copper lines to fiber lines. The radar systems we’re using? Some of them date back to 1982. It’s time for new radar, new terminals for air traffic controllers, and sensors on runways," he explained. Controllers will no longer need to rely on binoculars to monitor activity, as new screens will display airplane positions directly on the tarmac. "This is top-tier technology," Duffy added.

He emphasized the need for speed in implementing these changes. "It’s not that we’re unaware of the problems with air traffic control; it just takes too long to fix them," Duffy said. "Technology evolves, funding shifts, and administrations change. We need Congress to provide all the money upfront so we can move quickly."

Notably, Duffy mentioned that SpaceX engineers are among those collaborating on the project, underscoring the innovative approach being taken. "We’ve got some of the brightest minds helping us deploy this next-level system," he said. The timeline for completing the upgrade is estimated at four years, with the hope that Congress will expedite funding approval to avoid delays.

With the rollout imminent, it’s clear that modernizing air traffic control is a priority for the administration. Whether Congress will deliver the necessary funds to keep this plan airborne remains to be seen.