The United States government has launched a new website that lets anyone track how a $12.5 billion investment in air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure is being spent. Called Modern Skies, the platform was unveiled on 22 May 2026 by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It shows the progress of more than 10,000 projects at over 4,600 FAA facilities around the country.
What the Modern Skies website shows
Air traffic control is the system that guides aircraft safely through busy skies. In the United States, this system relies on a mix of radar, radio, computers, and communication networks — much of which was built decades ago and is long overdue for replacement.
The Modern Skies website uses an interactive map to show where upgrade work is happening. You can search by city, airport code, state, or even congressional district to find out what is being improved near you. Each project page lists the work being done and when it is expected to finish. A progress tracker updates every month.
The money for these projects comes from the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a large piece of legislation passed in early 2026. The $12.5 billion will pay for new radars, modern digital radio systems, faster data networks, electronic flight strip systems to replace paper at control towers, and new satellite technology to replace old copper telephone lines.
By the end of 2028, the FAA plans to have installed 27,000 new radios at more than 1,500 sites, 612 new radar systems, and 450 digital voice switches. A total of 5,170 high-speed network connections will also be built.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that one reason past modernisation efforts had failed was a “lack of transparency.” The new website is designed to change that. Pilots, airlines, airports, and the public can now follow the work in real time and hold the government accountable.
Why does this matter? The United States has one of the busiest airspaces in the world. Its air traffic control system handles more than 45,000 flights every day. For years, the technology supporting it has not kept pace with demand. Radar and communication equipment in some facilities dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. Delays, near-misses, and a radar failure at Newark Airport in early 2025 all showed how urgently the system needed investment.
The goal is a complete new air traffic control system by 2028. If it is delivered on time, it will be the biggest upgrade to US airspace management since GPS navigation was introduced in the 1990s.
Key vocabulary:
- air traffic control (ATC) – the service that directs aircraft on the ground and in the air to keep them a safe distance apart and guide them safely from departure to arrival.
- airspace – the area of sky above a country or region that is managed by that country’s aviation authority.
- radar – a system that uses radio waves to detect and track the position of aircraft; a key tool for air traffic controllers.
- digital voice switch – a modern communication device that connects air traffic controllers with pilots and other facilities via digital rather than older analogue signals.
CEFR Level B1-B2 / ICAO Level 4-5