Screenshot from the FAA's new "Modern Skies" website The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Department of Transportation have launched a new website called "Modern Skies", designed to present to the public the progress of the huge project to upgrade air traffic control systems in the United States.
The new platform includes information on more than 10,000 projects underway across the country, allowing the public to track how the $12.5 billion budget allocated to upgrade American aviation infrastructure is being used.
Among other things, the site includes an interactive project map, a search engine by city, state, airport or zip code, local reports on work completed and forecasts for future work, alongside a tracking system that shows the progress of projects across the United States.
As part of the program, the FAA is replacing key infrastructure at more than 4,600 sites across the country, including radar, communications, software and hardware systems used to manage air traffic.
According to the published data, by the end of 2028, 27,000 new radio systems, 612 advanced radar systems, 450 digital voice systems, and 5,000 high-speed network connections based on fiber optics, satellite, and wireless communications are expected to be installed across the United States.
Also, so far, 51% of the old copper lines have been replaced, 282 radio sites have been converted, 69 Surface Awareness Initiative systems have been installed, and 17 control towers have already switched to using electronic flight strips.
The US government estimates that the project will require more than 10 million work-hours and involve dozens of suppliers and professionals across various fields, including engineers, programmers, technicians, and infrastructure workers.
““One of the reasons past air traffic control modernization efforts failed was a lack of transparency. We’re taking a different approach – letting every American get a front row view of how President Trump is revolutionizing our skies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “We’re forecasting 5.4 million flights from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend — 54,000 today alone. That surging demand underscores why the work we're doing is so important. Ahead of a busy travel weekend, I hope every flyer checks our website as we work to build the safest and most technologically advanced air traffic control system in the world.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford concluded: “The FAA is undertaking the most significant transformation of America’s air traffic control system in generations, and we are committed to being transparent and accountable every step of the way. The American people deserve a clear view of how these investments are being executed and the progress being made to modernize our skies. Now, we’re sharing that directly with the flying public as we start the busy summer travel season.”
Sean Duffy, US Secretary of Transportation, alongside US President Donald Trump. Photo: Joshua Sukoff / Shutterstock