Multi-faceted defence contractor Peraton will design and implement the $12.5 billion first stage of the modernization effort of the National Airspace System and they’d better get cracking. The company normally works in the background supporting the security and mission capability of military, space, intelligence and cyber security arms of the federal government. It’s stepping out of the shadows as the “Prime Integrator” to essentially re-equip the FAA with modern communications and surveillance equipment that won’t break down as much as the patchwork of various technological eras that now keeps planes from getting too close to one another.
The company has just three years to do what conventional wisdom has consistently said will take at least a decade to accomplish but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday he thinks they’re up to the task. “We are thrilled to be working with Peraton because they share President Trump’s drive to modernize our skies safely at record speed,” said Duffy adding that the end result will be “state-of-the-art air traffic control system that the American traveling public — and our hard-working air traffic controllers — deserve” by 2028.
A fact sheet (copied below) that accompanied the announcement is essentially a list of equipment replacements or enhancements aimed at ensuring the humans who operate the system have reliable and up-to-date gear, including such fundamental items as 27,625 new radios and 612 radars. Alaska, with its sky high accident rates, many of them weather-related, gets special attention in the effort with 110 weather stations and 64 weather camera sites. FAA facilities will also get much better Internet, with 5,170 fibre, satellite and wireless connections to replace the copper wire systems at most places.
Peraton, not exactly a household name in the aviation business, bills itself as a national security company that normally works to support all arms of the Department of War. “Spun out of the former Harris Corporation, Peraton took a disaggregated set of businesses and created the foundation for our future,” the company says in its online bio. “We executed a strategy that focused on high consequence missions in emergent warfighter domains like space, intelligence, cyber, defense, homeland security, and communications.”
The folks who build the stuff that will be used in the upgrade seem happy with the choice of Peraton. The Air Traffic Control Association, which represents the tech companies that make the gear used by air traffic management systems all over the world said it was an “historic decision” and congratulated Peraton. “ATCA stands ready to support the FAA and Peraton in achieving rapid, successful modernization that ensures America maintains its position as the global leader in aviation safety and innovation,” said ATCA President Stephen Creamer. AOPA was also happy with the choice. President Darren Pleasance said he was “confident that Peraton will deliver an integrated system that uses modern technology to make our airspace more efficient, resilient, and reliable.” He also said the NAS should remain in government hands and that privatization would not solve current ATC problems.
When will they “need” to start charging GA to use the new system?
Its coming and together with the future Avgas crisis we’ll see some natural decay before 2030 is finished.
Hmm!I read the FAA’s fact sheet and most of it sounds good on paper, but the timeline and promises feel like unrealistic. You don’t replace nationwide comms, surveillance, radios, displays, automation systems, and even entire facilities by 2028. Not at this scale. Not with this complexity. The numbers they show are real, but the schedule is political. And calling Peraton a contractor with a “long track record” is generous. Peraton didn’t exist before 2017. They bought other people’s history and stitched it together.
What they don’t say is the part that matters. Once Peraton builds and integrates the whole system, they’re the only ones who truly understand how it all fits together. FAA won’t be able to replace them, won’t bring the work back inside, and won’t have the internal engineering depth to stand on its own. That’s not modernization. That’s locking yourself into a single contractor for decades. If anything here deserves a BS flag, it’s the idea that this creates more flexibility for the FAA. It doesn’t. It creates dependency.
That Peraton is primarily (only?) a Department of Defence contractor concerns me. The DoD isn’t exactly known for its fiscal responsibility when overseeing contracts.
Raf, spot on assessment as always. Thank you!
Russ, in this piece you mention “the Department of War,” which you surely must know does not exist. The name United States Department of Defense was given to the recently-created (1947) cabinet entity in August 1949, perhaps because a war-weary public was found to be reluctant to give their tax dollars to support warfare but less reticent to pay for national defense.
Totally agree. I find it discouraging when the media (or anyone) uses many of the names Trump uses. Examples: War Dept., the B– B—-ful Bill, Gulf of A—–a . Repeating the divisive, mean, inaccurate, or just plain wrong things he says is really a problem, as it normalizes what is actually quite abnormal.
Trump signed an executive order to change the name. As far as I can tell, that makes it the new name. If you can show me that’s wrong I’ll change it back but for now I think that’s the legal name of the department.
Disgraceful, on his part, not yours Russ. I don’t follow the news anymore so didn’t know if it was official. I’ll keep calling it the DOD, optimistic that when we get a real president the name will change back.
It is amusing to at least half the population to see and hear all the TDS folks whaling, moaning, mentally distressed, coming unglued etc. What fun to know there are hysterical folks out there making themselves miserable, mostly over things that have no real effect over their lives. What effect do the names of the Department of War or Gulf of America have on your life?
Not half. Not even close. His approval ratings are in the mid-thirties percentage. So, that means that approvers are outnumbered roughly two to one. You’re welcome to check my math.
Let’s check back in a few years and see who turned out to have been suffering some form of derangement….
National Security Act of 1947 established DOD among other things. You can sign out an Executive Order to call it “Gladys” if you want, but until you corral the votes in both houses line item appropriations go to DOD…to quote a familiar aviation movie…”No bucks, no Buck Rogers”
Executive Orders regularly emit from each party’s lower orifices, neither has an exclusive lock on stupid, often unconstitutional assertions that have to be cancelled by executive changeover or checks/balances provided by other 2 branches.
While some complain our government is inefficient, I will accept built in inefficiencies set by our Founding Fathers, they understood Kings (later known as Dictators) are extremely efficient in “getting things done” which is great right up until it’s something you disagree with.
But you know, as long as you communicated the intent, it is a who cares on here. Insuring political correctness, because who knows what each of our preferences is, not needed when talking about this issue. My opinion.
The POTUS can re-name geographical features within the three-mile limit, probably within the 200-mile economic limit, but think renaming locations BEYOND that should be left to international organizations like the UHGEGN. It should also be subject to approval by the nations occupying the said body of water.
Otherwise… Putin could rename Ukraine as “East Russia,” Canada could rename Alaska as “Colder Canada, eh”, or Antarctica could be renamed as “General Motors Polar Delight.”
UNGEGN, of course, not UH….
Executive orders do not carry force of law. DoD is established by law (i.e. Congress).
30-60 days ago the FAA was soliciting for comments, suggestions, and ideas for FAA “modernization” from the public and today… voila!…we have another well imbedded defense contractor which is a consortium of various companies specializing in surveillance, “warfighting “, military lethality…” focused on high consequence missions in emergent warfighter domains like space, intelligence, cyber, defense, homeland security, and communications.”all the modern trigger words implying our country has to be prepared for war against virtually the entire planet… therefor this new company is the one the FAA/Congress/President/AOPA/Department of Defense/self-proclaimed Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth/???? …has picked for this $12.5 billion dollar modernization contract. Who the hell is actually responsible for this decision? Of course who decided and how this contract was rendered will never be known to the taxpaying citizens because it is another black hole of money, cost overruns, and endless political R vs D debate. As long as no passenger carrying aluminum tubes do not trade paint, GA airplanes flown by over privileged owners delay these the passengers within these aluminum tubes…no body outside of GA aviation really cares. Perception is people ‘s reality, And that reality is largely shaped by whose ox is getting gored. I, like most pilot/owners, do not want ATC privatization. At the same time I don’t want military defense contractors of unknown quality, performance, and pedigree specializing in war and surveillance in charge of this “modernization” contract bypassing all of the private companies that could have and should have a bid opportunity.
“Good (=safe), Fast, Cheap: Pick two”. With this menagerie of chuckle-heads, pick one and don’t expect any result that doesn’t line their pockets.
None of us here will see any benefit from this boondoggle, any more than we will dance the night away in an obscenely-gilt ballroom.
No, the correct ditty is: Cost, schedule, quality. Choose any two. And the ballroom is funded by private donations.
Well, we all know that it won’t be cheap. The administration has already served notice that the $12.5 billion is just a down payment and have requested an additional $20 billion. More to come, I’m sure. And we know that it won’t be fast. 2028 is a pipe dream. They will do just enough by then so Trump can claim “mission accomplished”, and he will blame any delays on those woke Democrats. So, the best we can hope for is Good. Considering the FAA’s track record on their microwave landing system and the ADS-B mess, I wouldn’t hold my breath on that either. But, the system is in desperate need of a major upgrade, so now is as good a time as any.
As for History 101’s question as to who picked this contractor, I think we all know that it was whoever’s palm got greased the most that decided. In this administration, who’s palm is always the one that is getting greased?
As someone said, what happened to the request for advice that was just recently solicited by FAA? Certainly not enough time to have received it and given it honest consideration. What a joke. This rapid selection of this company, and them already having a ‘save ATC’ solution available to be created and delivered by 2028, again what a joke. Someone on the inside has benefited in the short term with some super benefits. Also a $12 billion down payment to get started and an additional $20 billion follow up, follow that money! When the check is written, somebody better be watching the trail of money very closely. The cost overruns and the delayed products had best be considered right now, because you know they are an absolute given. Nothing ever changes. Just don’t start unplugging until all this upgrade is guaranteed and all training for controllers and technicians completed.
Remember. In this administration, everything is evaluated by gut instinct. The president has said (paraphrasing) “I have the best guts”.
Classic FAA move. Nobody can give an exact number, but the FAA has been doing this for decades. They decide where they are going, brief Congress, line up the contractor, and only then open the comment period. At that point the “advice” is just paperwork. In 67 years of FAA history, this move has shown up many times, and every controller and pilot sees it coming a mile away. I was in a meeting with over 260 pilots, most speaking against the proposal. The decision was already made and the “advice” was disregarded.
As a software developer I have watch numerous projects that we’re told will take “only” x amount of time. When done, it is more like x times x and cost a lot more. That’s just software.
This mention they can be done(?) in three years for only $12B is indicative of the clowns that are running the current show. It is like when DOGE said they can update SS software in three months (HA!) “Oh, we’ll get ChatGTP to convert all that COBOL or ADA code and it will work perfect”. Yeah, the project is comatose.
Oh we’ll see money pouring into that mouth and mostly true crap coming out the back and in 2028…”So Sorry, it was Biden’s fault it is not done”.