Yesterday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report examining FAA progress on the Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS), recommending that the agency prioritize development of a reliable lifecycle cost estimate and a detailed integrated master schedule for Phase 1, funded by last year’s $12.5 billion Congressional appropriation. “FAA has made progress implementing this initiative,” the report found, “but it could be prioritizing speed over costs and air traffic disruptions. For example, FAA doesn’t have a lifecycle cost estimate or master schedule for related projects. Without them, the agency could end up causing air traffic disruptions or prolonging reliance on severely outdated systems.”
Focused on modernizing communications, surveillance, weather, and training systems, BNATCS Phase 1 is scheduled for completion by December 2028. The study also notes that an additional $10.5 billion will be needed to implement BNATCS Phase 2. GAO’s latest report follows up on a 2024 study that determined over 75 percent of our nation’s ATC system was unsustainable.