Modernizing air traffic control in the US requires another $50 billion, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. He blamed previous administrations and Congress for the deterioration of the infrastructure.
The request for additional funding follows flight disruptions that exposed shortcomings in the system and brought air traffic control infrastructure back into the spotlight.
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In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Duffy said decades of underinvestment had left essential aviation equipment outdated and unable to meet today’s demands.
To illustrate the age of the technology still in use, the secretary cited systems dating back to the 1990s and radars manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s.
His concerns extend beyond equipment. Duffy also described problems with air traffic control tower buildings: some lack working elevators or adequate air conditioning, while others have leaking roofs.
According to the secretary, the $12.5 billion Congress previously approved to upgrade the system is not enough to address the problems that have accumulated over the years.
As The Hill reported, Duffy argued that, after decades without the necessary investment, $12.5 billion falls far short of the amount needed to address all the challenges in the nation’s airspace.
He also explained that the approved funding is earmarked for specific purposes, such as upgrading radios, radars and telecommunications equipment. As a result, it cannot be spent on every need within the system.
Asked whether he accepted responsibility for the flight disruptions, Duffy avoided a direct answer and linked the problems to the situation inherited from previous administrations.
In his response, the secretary said he took responsibility for what previous administrations had left him to deal with.
