"The federal government has picked two companies to replace 612 radar systems nationwide that date back to the 1980s as part of a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the nation's air traffic control system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that contractors RTX and Spanish firm Indra will replace the radar systems by the summer of 2028."
"The FAA has been spending most of its $3 billion equipment budget just maintaining the fragile old system that still relies on floppy discs in places. Some of the equipment is old and isn't manufactured anymore, so the FAA sometimes has to search for spare parts on eBay. Technical failures twice knocked out the radar for air traffic controllers managing planes around Newark Liberty International Airport last spring, and those problems led to thousands of cancellations and delays at the major hub airport."
The federal government selected RTX and Spain’s Indra to replace 612 radar units dating to the 1980s, targeting completion by summer 2028 and an overall overhaul by year-end 2028. Many radar units have exceeded intended service life, increasing maintenance costs and support challenges. The FAA has spent most of a $3 billion equipment budget on maintaining fragile legacy gear, some of which requires sourcing obsolete parts. Recent technical failures caused major outages and flight disruptions at key hubs, and redundancy lapses have allowed simultaneous primary and backup failures. The overhaul will replace 14 different radar types and simplify maintenance and repairs.
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