FAA: Track $12.5B Air Traffic Control Modernization Progress

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched “Modern Skies,” an interactive website that provides monthly, localized tracking of the agency’s air traffic control modernization program funded with an initial $12.5 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill. The portal lists over 10,000 projects and offers an up‑to‑date view of installations and upgrades across the National Airspace System.

Visitors can search by city, state, airport code, ZIP code or congressional district to see completed work and projects planned within the next 30 days. FAA plans include hundreds of radar replacements, tens of thousands of radio upgrades, hundreds of digital voice switches and surface awareness systems at major airports, with the program structured to deliver a new core system by the end of 2028.

Agency data published on the tracker show meaningful early progress: more than half of copper telecommunications replacements are complete and several hundred radio site conversions and surface awareness units have been installed. FAA officials say the program aims to reduce equipment‑related outages that have driven recent delay spikes and to improve resilience across the network.

From an economic standpoint, the program is expected to generate substantial procurement and labor demand across aerospace, telecom and construction sectors; FAA estimates the work will total roughly 10 million labor hours and involve dozens of vendors. Improved operational reliability during peak travel seasons could also lower airlines’ delay costs and support more predictable network scheduling.

Officials caution that the $12.5 billion is an initial down payment and additional funding—FAA documents estimate up to another $20 billion—will likely be required to complete the full program. Market participants tracking supplier contracts, government procurement notices and monthly updates on the Modern Skies site should expect ongoing scoring of progress and new opportunities over the next several years.