Peraton Contracted to Oversee Construction of the New System

The Trump administration has officially locked in its pick to spearhead the biggest upgrade to America’s air traffic control system in decades. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced on December 4 that Virginia-based national security company Peraton has been selected as the program’s Prime Integrator.

The “Prime Integrator” is a first-of-its-kind role meant to centralize leadership as the FAA transitions to a brand-new ATC architecture. Peraton’s job will go far beyond just system upgrades, making it the central coordinator overseeing all modernization efforts to ensure that the FAA’s new capabilities roll out in sync. The contract is structured with incentives for hitting milestones, plus penalties for delays, as the administration aims to complete the overhaul by the end of 2028.

“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. “Working together, we are going to build on the incredible progress we’ve already made and deliver a state-of-the-art air traffic control system that the American traveling public — and our hard-working air traffic controllers — deserve.”

The announcement follows a $12.5 billion initial investment from President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which jump-started the modernization push earlier this year. The DOT has already converted a third of the FAA’s old copper backbone to fiber, satellite, and wireless connections… only after some serious technical outages hit busy US airspace, of course. The agency also deployed 148 new radios across the country, installed the first next-generation voice switch, implemented surface-awareness systems in 44 towers, and rolled out electronic flight strips to 13 more facilities.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill gave us a strong $12.5 billion down payment to start this modernization effort,” Bedford added. “But to finish the job—and deliver the safer, more efficient system travelers deserve—we’re going to need another $20 billion. This is a long-term investment in the future of air travel, and we’re committed to getting it right.”

According to USDOT, the modernization project will replace aging telecommunications networks, radar systems, and essential hardware, while also introducing a fully digital command center to improve resilience and speed up system-wide responses to outages. Peraton will begin work immediately, partnering with the FAA on near-term priorities like finishing the transition away from copper infrastructure and establishing the new digital command hub.

FMI: www.peraton.com