U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford announced the FAA will replace the nation’s aging radar system. Replacing this network of ground-based radars, which are crucial for detecting and tracking aircraft, will enhance the safety and efficiency of our skies.
The new radar contracts, which are part of President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s brand-new air traffic control initiative, were awarded to RTX and Indra. The contract will be paid for by the One Big Beautiful Bill.
“While our air travel system is the safest in the world, most of our radars date back to the 1980s. It’s unacceptable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Thanks to President Trump and the One Big Beautiful Bill, we’ll begin replacing this outdated technology to boost safety and enable the next big wave of innovation in our skies.”
“Our radar network is outdated and long overdue for replacement. Many of the units have exceeded their intended service life, making them increasingly expensive to maintain and difficult to support,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “We are buying radar systems that will bring production back to the U.S. and provide a vital surveillance backbone to the National Airspace System.”
The RTX and Indra contracts will contribute to replacing up to 612 radars by June 2028 with modern, commercially available surveillance radars. Replacements are scheduled to begin this quarter and will proceed on a rolling basis, prioritizing high-traffic areas.
In addition to modernizing our network of surveillance radars, the FAA will consolidate the 14 different configurations in the NAS today, simplifying maintenance and logistics.
Additional Information:
In December, DOT and FAA announced Peraton as the Prime Integrator to oversee construction of the brand-new air traffic control system and will be working with RTX and Indra.
To meet the ambitious goal of implementing a new system by the end of 2028, DOT and FAA used an innovative and first-of-its kind federal procurement contract to expedite selecting an integrator.
Peraton began work immediately, partnering with the FAA on initial priorities which include transitioning the system’s remaining copper infrastructure to modern fiber, installing voice switches and deploying surface awareness systems at airports around the country. We will continue advancing other modernization initiatives as outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
For more information, view the fact sheet.
