In this conversation, we discuss L3Harris’ partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the evolution of managed network services, the transition from legacy technology to modern infrastructure, and the future of cloud and data-driven systems in air traffic control.
L3Harris has a long history of working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), amongst others in the domain of managed networks and other key technology areas. How was this started and what systems and services do you provide to the agency?
L3Harris has been supporting the FAA since the late 1980s, starting with weather data processing and voice switching systems. In the early 2000s, we were awarded the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure project and have been running and evolving the FAA network since then.
What we’re doing today is fundamentally different from managing legacy infrastructure. We’re deploying a modern IP-based network platform with software-defined networking capabilities, standardized interfaces, and advanced network management tools. This means the FAA is moving from technology refresh cycles measured in decades to continuous improvement measured in months. By 2028, they’ll have a network that has been fully updated and can continue to evolve incrementally, adding bandwidth, security features, and support for emerging technologies without requiring a wholesale replacement. That’s the real transformation we’re executing right now.
Our portfolio spans the full spectrum of FAA communications and surveillance. For example, Data Communications – that’s the FAA’s version of CPDLC – is in use at 20 enroute centers and 65 airports for clearance delivery, and we’re getting very positive feedback from the user community. Then there’s System Wide Information Management, or SWIM, which is a messaging platform on the FAA backbone that lets various systems communicate efficiently. We were one of the first examples of cloud-based technologies supporting the NAS, and this is growing. We also operate the ADS-B traffic information network with over 700 stations nationwide that we’ve been running since the early 2000s.
The way L3Harris provides managed networks to the FAA is quite different from what exists in Europe, where Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) directly own and operate their networks. How does this work?
You’re correct, it is different. For the FAA, it’s an end-to-end managed infrastructure model where we take full responsibility for the network. We own and operate all the equipment, circuits, and lines. This allows the FAA to focus its technical operations teams on air traffic systems rather than telecommunications infrastructure. We deliver on-premises equipment tailored to each site’s needs, from small footprints to very large installations supporting multiple communication services.
The FAA backbone architected by L3Harris incorporates 42 points of presence nationwide for resiliency, supporting both IP and legacy TDM traffic, plus the FAA administrative networks. Where traditional connectivity isn’t feasible, like remote locations or austere environments, we operate microwave links and satellite networks to ensure complete coverage.
We maintain a large, nationwide team of highly trained individuals who are positioned to dispatch to any FAA site, ensuring rapid response whenever needed.
This infrastructure is undergoing modernization, which is sometimes presented as “copper to fiber.” But there is more to it, as you are evolving from TDM to IP, isn’t it?
The telecommunications industry has largely moved away from TDM, yet the FAA and many other ANSPs still rely on it because legacy systems such as radars, radios, and navigation aids interface natively with TDM and have long lifecycles. About 85 percent of FAA’s services still require some TDM interface.
We’ve had to emulate TDM interfaces over modern packetized protocols, essentially bridging two technology generations simultaneously. This allows us to support existing systems while building the foundation for full IP services. As the FAA transitions to new ATC systems with IP-native interfaces and dual-mode voice switches, we’re ensuring the network is ready. We’re facilitating the FAA’s move from legacy to modern without disruption. With the carrier TDM sunset accelerating, we established and are successfully executing an aggressive plan to ensure the FAA is off this obsolete legacy infrastructure by the end of 2027 to avoid disruption.
We’re working with proven, mature technology solutions and qualifying new technologies in parallel. What makes this program remarkable is the scale and speed of deployment. The administration secured the funding and created the momentum, and we’re executing at an unprecedented pace. Today, we’re deploying approximately 130 new paths each month across more than 4,400 FAA sites nationwide. We’re 43 percent complete and accelerating. Each deployment involves careful coordination with local FAA teams, pre-staging equipment, and executing cutover plans that maintain continuous operations. Sustaining this operational tempo month after month is what’s enabling the FAA to meet its 2028 modernization goals.
This infrastructure has to keep running during modernization. How do you manage to keep it running 24/7 while modernizing at the same time?
We are not switching segments of the network off to do this. Working with the FAA’s redundant architecture – two paths at critical sites – we upgrade one path, validate its performance, then upgrade the other. All work is planned in close coordination with local air traffic operations and performed during low-impact traffic and staffing windows. It’s seamless from an operational perspective.
We have been carrying out continuous modernization and upgrades to the FAA telecom system since its inception, so the methodology is well-established. What’s changed now is the scale and simultaneity, and that’s where our investment in advanced capabilities, and our experience and expertise, make the difference.
We’ve scaled our team substantially and implemented advanced monitoring and analytics tools that give us real-time visibility into network performance during transitions. This allows us to detect and address potential issues before they impact operations, which is essential when managing hundreds of simultaneous upgrade activities.
Everybody talks about cloud, data-driven tools, and artificial intelligence. What does the operational reality look like, and what can you point to today that shows it is already happening?
We started with cloud in 2018 when we deployed the SWIM Cloud Distribution Service – weather feeds, flight plans, position reports available through a self-service portal. That proved the concept. Now we’re working with the FAA on migrating operational SWIM to the cloud, following the same pattern.
For decision-support tools, cloud and AI present real opportunities. We’re not building many new runways or airports in the United States, yet traffic continues to grow. The only way to improve capacity is operational efficiency, and that’s where these technologies can make a difference.
Looking ahead to the end of 2028, once modernization has been achieved, what does that look like operationally?
The FAA has been clear that the first phase of the new ATC system is primarily about modernizing legacy technology. It moves applications into IP networks with a new level of resilience that allows faster rerouting and recovery from issues compared to legacy TDM applications.
We’re already proving this at sites running both technologies. If a single point-to-point TDM connection fails, the IP services continue to operate unaffected. That’s the resilience that becomes standard, and it’s the platform that enables everything that comes next.
When you discuss modernization with FAA leadership or other ANSPs, what concerns them most?
Speed and scale. That’s what everyone asks about. The accelerating TDM carrier sunsets created a hard deadline, and the momentum over the past year has been significant. We’ve placed orders for virtually all required circuits and built the team and processes to execute at this pace.
We work with ANSPs globally, and while the challenges are similar – legacy technology, tight timelines, operational continuity – the FAA’s scale is unique. The size and complexity of the network, the number of sites, the traffic volumes in major metropolitan areas are unmatched.
How can you instill confidence in your ability to complete this modernization on such a tight timeline given the scale and complexity?
What gives me confidence is the partnership we’ve built with the FAA. Over the last year, the alignment around objectives, the collaborative problem-solving, the shared commitment to the mission – it’s been exceptional. We’re not just off to a strong start; we’re demonstrating that this scale of modernization is achievable.
