Says Implementation Timeline Remains Unclear Due To 'Shifting Priorities'

The Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General has responded to a request from House Transportation Committee Chair Bill Shuster (R-PA) concerning the cost and timeline for the FAA's NextGen Air Traffic Control System.

Shuster requested the information back in July. Specifically, Shuster (pictured) asked about (1) the amount FAA has invested in NextGen since fiscal year 2003; (2) the date when NextGen will be completed; and (3) the amount of additional funding needed to complete NextGen, compared to initial estimates.

The letter responding to the Chairman summarizes information obtained from completed and ongoing NextGen work. The IG sayd that Congress has provided over $7 billion to FAA through fiscal year 2016 to invest in NextGen. However, the NextGen completion date is unclear due to shifting Agency priorities and undefined final requirements for major acquisition systems.

The amount of additional funding needed to complete NextGen is also uncertain due to several factors. For example, FAA has not fully identified the total costs for the six NextGen transformational programs.

Additionally, other factors that will materially impact the overall cost of NextGen include controlling costs when acquiring new systems, identifying and preventing cybersecurity risks, improving system resiliency, and integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

(Source: DoT IG website)

FMI: Letter Text