Trump administration seeks $30 billion after Congress approved $12.5 billion for reforms
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the first US digital air traffic control towers are officially operational at Bartow Executive Airport (KBOW) in Florida and Kenai Municipal Airport (PAEN) in Alaska. The systems are online at the two smaller airports, and five additional regional airports are slated to receive the technology next.
The FAA says the towers use advanced camera systems and digital displays to give air traffic controllers a continuous, 360-degree view of airport operations, including runways, taxiways and surrounding airspace. The agency says the systems are not intended to replace human controllers; instead, they provide greater visibility and additional information to help controllers perform their existing duties.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement, “Our air traffic controllers continue to do the critical job of keeping aircraft safely separated, and we’re giving them better technology to do that.” He added, “Digital towers provide controllers with greater visibility of airport activity and more information to make critical decisions.”
The tower deployment is part of a broader federal modernization effort to replace decades-old equipment still used throughout the aviation system, including copper telecommunications lines, floppy disks and paper strips used to track aircraft.
Congress approved $12.5 billion over five years in June 2025 to support air traffic control reforms. The Trump administration is seeking another $30 billion from the legislative branch for additional improvements.
Bedford is scheduled to appear before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee next week. He will face questions about the progress and challenges surrounding the administration’s ongoing $12.5 billion modernization initiative.
The Guardian reported concerns about the types of technology being introduced in air traffic control and about artificial intelligence more broadly. In September, the FAA rolled out a new AI software tool called the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (Smart).
The Guardian also reported that Trump’s response to a national shortage of air traffic controllers following last year’s government shutdown drew criticism.
Staffing levels in control towers and many related aspects of the US air traffic safety system have been under scrutiny since a midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter on the outskirts of Washington DC in 2025 killed 67 people. It was the deadliest crash in the US for more than 20 years, and authorities later deemed it “100% preventable.”