FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford defended delays in the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control modernisation programme on Tuesday, telling lawmakers in Washington that the overhaul will fall short without substantially more money. The testimony came as the FAA faced fresh scrutiny over the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, with radar replacement work slipping and the first phase now carrying a far higher price tag than Congress has already approved.
Bedford linked completion of the programme to the administration’s FY2027 budget request, which includes an extra $1.5 billion for modernisation. He urged Congress to provide follow-on investment to keep the effort moving, warning that shortages would lead to more delays and cancellations across the system. Reuters reported that the first phase could cost about $16 billion, compared with the $12.5 billion previously approved, while the FAA’s telecommunications upgrades remain ahead of schedule.
The testimony followed a Government Accountability Office report released a day earlier that faulted the FAA for lacking a reliable lifecycle cost estimate and an integrated master schedule for phase one. The watchdog said the agency still needs additional funding to finish the first phase and estimated that another $574 million is required, alongside broader operating costs that have not been fully assessed. The House appropriations panel heard the case as lawmakers weigh whether current funding is sufficient for the wider modernisation effort.